Hain Celestial Sells International Business to Aurelius for $323 Million

Hain Celestial is selling a business that generated $668 million in fiscal 2026 sales, nearly half the company’s annual revenue, as the natural-foods maker accelerates a retreat from its once sprawling portfolio.

The company said September 14 that it had reached an agreement to sell most of its international operations to private-equity firm Aurelius for an estimated $323 million in cash. Hain expects to retain $305 million to $310 million after transaction-related adjustments and plans to direct the proceeds toward debt reduction.

The assets include Ella’s Kitchen baby food, Joya and Natumi plant-based beverages, Hartley’s jelly, Linda McCartney Foods, Cully & Sully, Yorkshire Provender and New Covent Garden soups. The sale is expected to close during Hain’s fiscal second quarter, which ends December 31, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.

The more immediate issue is financing. Hain ended fiscal 2026 with $558 million of total debt, $500 million of net debt and a 4.5-times net secured leverage ratio under its credit agreement. Its lenders must agree to extend a maturity date beyond December 22, 2026, and Aurelius can terminate the deal if that amendment is not secured within 30 days of signing.

That makes the transaction more than a portfolio cleanup. It is also a liquidity maneuver.

Hain has already sold its North American snacks business, including Terra chips and Garden of Eatin’, to Canada’s Snackruptors for $115 million. Once the international deal closes, the remaining company will be centered on North American brands such as Celestial Seasonings teas, The Greek Gods yogurt, Earth’s Best baby food, Spectrum Organic oils, MaraNatha nut butters and Imagine broths.

The reshaped business is materially smaller. Hain’s international segment posted $151 million in fourth-quarter sales, compared with $112 million for North America, although the latter delivered 2% organic growth while international sales fell 4% organically. Hain also reported a $305 million full-year net loss and adjusted EBITDA of $89 million, down from $114 million a year earlier.

Management is pairing the divestitures with a cost program expected to generate about $16 million in annualized savings. Investors are being asked to value a narrower, less indebted Hain, but the lender amendment remains the gatekeeper.