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Italian food ingredients group Nexture has agreed to acquire La Crema, a Dubai-based manufacturer of chocolate and speciality food ingredients formulated for bakery, ice cream, and fine pastry applications.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal is scheduled to complete by the end of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
The acquisition marks Nexture’s first physical manufacturing footprint in the Middle East, granting the company direct production infrastructure to supply expanding regional demand for bakery and confectionery ingredients.
"La Crema is a natural fit for Nexture's portfolio due to its rich and diversified chocolate offering, unlocking meaningful synergies across the group," said Valerie-Diele Braun, Chief Executive Officer of Nexture.
"We're also particularly excited to strengthen our chocolate offering as it is a category that inspires creativity, delights consumers and creates lasting value for our customers. We are delighted to partner with Mr Bilal Khalife, who has built and developed La Crema into the business it is today. We look forward to working with him to unlock the company's next phase of growth."
Regional Expansion and Global Industrial Footprint
The transaction expands Nexture's global production network from eight manufacturing plants in 2021 to 30 facilities worldwide.
The group's operational infrastructure will encompass:
Middle East and Asia: One production facility in Dubai alongside one manufacturing site in Asia.
Europe: 22 processing facilities across eight European nations.
Americas and Africa: Two manufacturing plants in North America and four operational sites across Africa.
Following completion, Nexture's combined global workforce will surpass 2,900 personnel. Headquartered in Milan and backed by an independently managed investment company affiliated with InvestIndustrial, Nexture operates across more than 120 countries, formulating solutions for bakery, dairy, snack bars, plant-based alternatives, ready meals, beverages, sauces, and confectionery.
La Crema Portfolio and Commercial Operations
Established in 2016 by Bilal Khalife, La Crema originated as a trading business supplying regional hospitality and foodservice operators before opening in-house processing lines in 2018.
The business currently employs approximately 170 staff across manufacturing, operations, logistics, sales, and marketing functions at its production facility in Dubai.
La Crema produces branded and private-label formulations for commercial bakery and confectionery processors, with a portfolio covering:
Chocolate Specialities: Extruded chocolate bars, chips, and buttons alongside ready-to-use fat-based and water-based confectionery fillings.
Pastry and Bakery Inputs: Formulated fruit preparations, ready-mix speciality powders, and dessert coatings.
Chilled Formulations: Industrial ice cream bases, ripples, and inclusion compounds.
The agreement to purchase La Crema represents Nexture’s third major bolt-on transaction within the current operating year, supporting the company's broader buy-and-build corporate strategy.
The group completed the purchases of fruit preparations specialist Frulact in March 2026 and fats and oils processor Sipral Padana in April 2026. Nexture was originally formed through the acquisition of CSM Ingredients in 2021 and has scaled into an international food ingredients group with estimated annual pro forma revenues of approximately €1.2 billion following the integration of La Crema.
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