Nexture has signed an agreement to acquire Dubai-based ingredients manufacturer La Crema, a move that will establish the group’s first manufacturing presence in the Middle East while expanding its portfolio of chocolate, bakery and pastry solutions.
The transaction will give Nexture direct access to a growing regional ingredients market and add a broad range of products including chocolate cream fillings, bars, chips and buttons, fruit fillings and ready-mix powders. The portfolio also extends into ice cream solutions and other value-added ingredients for foodservice and industrial applications.
Headquartered in Dubai, La Crema was founded by Bilal Khalife in 2016, initially operating as a trading business serving the HoReCa sector. The company moved into manufacturing in 2018 and has since developed a distribution network covering wholesalers, distributors and retailers.
Its Dubai manufacturing site employs approximately 170 people across production, operations, sales and marketing. Products are supplied under the La Crema brand as well as through private-label arrangements.
Building a Middle East platform
For Nexture, the acquisition represents an opportunity to develop a local manufacturing base from which it can support bakery and pastry customers across the Middle East.
La Crema’s portfolio includes chocolate sauces and cream fillings, chocolate bars, chips and buttons, assorted chocolates, ready-mix powders and fruit fillings. These products complement Nexture’s existing ingredients and value-added solutions, while opening further opportunities in bakery, fine pastry and related applications.
Valerie-Diele Braun, Chief Executive Officer of Nexture, said: “This acquisition marks an important step in Nexture’s global growth strategy, establishing our first manufacturing footprint in the Middle East and giving us direct access to one of the world’s fastest-growing ingredients markets.
“La Crema is a natural fit for our portfolio, adding a rich and diversified chocolate offering to our value-added solutions and unlocking meaningful synergies across the Group.”
She added that strengthening Nexture’s chocolate capabilities would provide further opportunities to support product creativity and value creation for customers.
Once the transaction is completed, Nexture’s manufacturing network will increase to 30 factories worldwide, compared with eight facilities when its growth programme began in 2021. The group will operate two factories in North America, four in Africa, one in the Middle East, one in Asia and 22 across eight European countries.
Its workforce is also expected to exceed 2,900 employees.
Continuing an acquisition-led strategy
The agreement follows Nexture’s acquisitions of Frulact and Sipral Padana, completed in March and April 2026 respectively, as the group continues a buy-and-build strategy focused on developing its position in value-added food and beverage ingredients.
Since the acquisition of CSM Ingredients in 2021, Nexture has expanded significantly. At that stage, the business generated €517 million in sales. Including the recently agreed La Crema transaction on a pro-forma basis, Nexture now estimates annual revenues of approximately €1.2 billion.
For bakery manufacturers, the enlarged portfolio gives the group a broader range of solutions spanning chocolate inclusions, fillings, fruit-based ingredients and premixes, alongside its existing food ingredients capabilities.
Completion of the La Crema acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The transaction is currently expected to complete by the end of 2026.
