The wellness gap is widening — even as consumer spending surges.
Healthcare is getting harder to afford
According to CivicScience, health and wellness is the only category where Americans plan to increase spending more than they cut this year.
Meanwhile, Gallup found one in three Americans are cutting back on other essentials to cover healthcare costs—including utilities, gas, and even prescription drugs.
This tension highlights a growing divide: many consumers are willing to spend more on well-being, but millions are still struggling to afford basic care.
As wellness and healthcare keep blurring, the gap between optimizing health and accessing it is getting harder to ignore.
Nutrafol is in growth mode
Now valued at $3.5B, the Unilever-owned hair care brand is expanding on all fronts.
- Nutrafol grew 23% in 2025, pushing annual sales close to $1B.
- 80% of revenue comes from repeat purchasers, per Forbes.
- The company plans to push international expansion through physician networks and clinical credibility.
Operating like a science-backed wellness platform, Nutrafol is combining products, consultations, and clinical studies to build loyalty in a crowded category.
Danone buys Huel
Danone is acquiring meal-replacement brand Huel in a deal worth more than $1B.
- The acquisition strengthens Danon’s position in functional nutrition, integrating Huel’s plant-based powders, ready-to-drink shakes, bars, and hot meals.
- The move comes after Danone bought Kate Farms—makers of plant-based nutritional shakes—last year.
As Big Food companies buy their way into wellness, Huel’s acquisition is yet another sign that better-for-you brands are growth engines.
