Heartland Food Products Group, owner and manufacturer of the Splenda brand, SlimFast and Java House, is set to acquire the Americas business of Whole Earth Brands, Inc., including the Equal, Whole Earth, Swerve and Chuker sweetener brands across North America and Latin America. 

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Heartland says the acquisition strengthens its position as a global leader in sugar reduction, low- and no-calorie sweeteners, and better-for-you food and beverage solutions. The transaction combines recognized brands under one organization and expands Heartland's portfolio across traditional tabletop, natural sweeteners, foodservice, beverage, retail and B2B channels.

"The acquisition of Equal and Whole Earth Brands Americas is another transformative milestone for Heartland and further advances our mission to help people live happier, healthier and longer lives by making it easier to reduce sugar," says Ted Gelov, chairman and CEO of Heartland Food Products Group. "Equal is one of the most iconic brands in the history of the sweetener category, while Whole Earth has established a strong position in plant-based and natural sweetener solutions. Together with Splenda, these brands create an unparalleled platform to lead the future of sugar reduction and wellness-focused innovation."

Heartland expects the acquisition to expand its scale and capabilities across retail, foodservice, e-commerce, ingredient solutions and international markets. The combined organization will leverage Heartland's vertically integrated manufacturing network, advanced R&D and formulation capabilities, and broad distribution platform to accelerate innovation and category growth.

"Heartland has consistently demonstrated its ability to innovate, manufacture and grow leading consumer brands," Gelov says. "We believe this combination creates exciting opportunities for customers, retail partners, consumers and employees while strengthening domestic manufacturing and innovation leadership in the sweetener category."

The acquisition also enhances Heartland's strategic investments in next-generation sweetener technologies and domestic ingredient supply chains, including its pioneering U.S.-grown stevia initiatives. The Heartland Food Products Group expects to continue expanding natural and plant-based sweetener offerings under both the Whole Earth and Splenda portfolios while supporting growth of the Equal brand in the Americas.

Since acquiring the Splenda brand in 2015, Heartland has transformed the business into a broad-based health and wellness platform, expanding into plant-based sweeteners, creamers, nutritional beverages, liquid enhancers, coffee and wellness products.