Penton Acquires Nutrition Business Journal

BOULDER, Colo.--New Hope Natural Media, based here, has a new research arm. Its parent company, Penton Media, announced Feb. 23 that it acquired San Diego-based Nutrition Business International. Penton, a publicly traded company based in Cleveland, did not disclose terms of the acquisition.

According to Penton, NBI, publisher of Nutrition Business Journal and a provider of market research, will remain based in California; co-founder and president Grant Ferrier will remain as president. Health Business Partners based in Providence, R.I., was the majority equity investor in NBI, but had no comment about the acquisition.

The acquisition announcement comes just two weeks after Penton closed down the Exchange portion of New Hope's online B2B site (for details, see www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/12h99316.html). At that time, Mary Abood, Penton's vice president of corporate communications, referred to an imminent announcement about a new aspect to New Hope's research information services.

New Hope and NBJ worked together for the past two years on the annual market overview research issue for Natural Foods Merchandiser. In the announcement release, Ferrier noted that the acquisition would move NBI from a small, entrepreneurial player to part of a dominant business in the natural products industry. "Through New Hope and Penton, we'll participate in a broader strategy for healthy living and nutrition business platform on a global scale," he said. NBJ will be integrated into the Healthwell.com online sector.

For more details, visit www.penton.com.