A MANUFACTURER of nutritional drinks and protein snacks for athletes has been acquired by international food group Glanbia for £5.8m.

Glanbia, of Ireland, has bought Pro-Fibe Nutrition, based at Riverside Park, Middlesbrough, and renamed the business Glanbia Nutritionals UK.

The company expects turnover to double to nearly £4m this year after reaching £1.9m in 2005.

Glanbia Nutritionals UK employs 30 staff at its 40,000sq ft factory, which was purchased in February last year with £1.9m from regional development agency One NorthEast.

The company produces a range of products, including meal replacement bars with low carbohydrate and low Glycemic Index (GI) content, as well as high-energy bars, dietary supplements and powdered protein drinks.

Mathew Richardson, founder of Pro-Fibe Nutrition and technical director of Glanbia Nutritionals UK, said: "Glanbia Nutritionals' ingredient solutions fit well with our business, so the acquisition was a natural step. Now, we can further develop our capabilities and services, and offer customers the added value of Glanbia Nutritionals' expertise in the nutritional ingredients market."

Glanbia Nutritionals has sites in the US, Belgium and Ireland. Its acquisition of Pro-Fibe last August followed the purchase of Kortus Food Ingredients Services (KFIS), in Germany.

Hugh McGuire, chief executive of Glanbia Nutritionals, said: "Both acquisitions are in line with Glanbia's nutritional strategy to advance our solutions, blending and applications capabilities.

"Innovation through research and development forms the core of our growth plan, and KFIS and Pro-Fibe share this ethos.

"We are looking forward to consolidating the businesses to develop functional foods and ingredients for a variety of markets. These are exciting times for Glanbia Nutritionals."

Pro-Fibe Nutrition was founded in 1993 by Mr Richardson, a research chemist, as a result of his studies into dietary fibre, functional foods and sports nutrition.

In 1998, it moved from Sunderland to Middlesbrough and, in 2000, opened its own factory, having previously focused on research and development.