cbdMD to Acquire Twinlab's Legacy Supplement Brands

cbdMD, Inc. has entered a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets and brands of Twinlab, including Twinlab, Reserveage, Metabolife, and Alvita Tea, in a transaction structured as an assignment for the benefit of creditors that still requires court approval and other customary closing conditions.¹

"Twinlab is the kind of brand equity that companies spend decades trying to build," said Ronan Kennedy, CEO of cbdMD, in the companies' announcement. "This combination will pair decades of heritage and category credibility with a modern, marketing-driven platform."

For finished-product manufacturers and retailers who carry these brands, the deal matters less for its size than for what it signals: another legacy supplement portfolio changing hands through a distressed-asset process rather than a straightforward sale.

What Is an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, and Why Use It Here?

An assignment for the benefit of creditors is a state-law alternative to federal bankruptcy in which a financially distressed company transfers its assets to a third-party assignee, who liquidates or sells them to repay creditors, typically on a faster timeline and at lower cost than Chapter 11 proceedings.² Twinlab has previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2003.³

Unlike a conventional acquisition negotiated directly between 2 solvent companies, this structure signals that Twinlab's assets were in financial distress heading into the sale. The companies describe the arrangement as providing the brands stability and an orderly path forward while maintaining product availability and customer relationships, though the transaction remains subject to court approval before it can close.¹

What Does This Signal About Consolidation in Legacy Supplement Brands?

The involved parties also note that the deal as part of cbdMD's evolution into a broader multi-brand wellness platform spanning supplements, sports nutrition, longevity, functional wellness, pet wellness, and hemp-derived products.

Anthony Zolezzi, CEO of Twinlab, framed the deal as complementary rather than corrective. "cbdMD is the right home for these brands," he said. "Together, we will bring a uniquely complete wellness portfolio spanning foundational vitamins through emerging breakthroughs."

Whether that combination proves durable depends on factors the announcement does not address, including how cbdMD intends to fund integration costs or whether it plans to retain Twinlab's existing manufacturing and distribution relationships. The companies state that the incremental revenue is expected to generate a positive contribution after transaction and integration costs, though no specific figures accompany that projection.¹

What Are the Open Questions and Limitations of This Deal?

The revenue and growth figures cited in the announcement are unaudited and self-reported, and neither company has disclosed profitability, debt assumed in the transaction, or the purchase price. Because the deal proceeds through a creditor-assignment process rather than a negotiated acquisition, its completion depends on court approval, a step that introduces timing and outcome uncertainty not present in a standard M&A transaction.

The announcement also does not specify whether all Twinlab manufacturing facilities, supplier contracts, and employees transfer as part of the asset purchase, details manufacturers with existing Twinlab relationships will likely want clarified once the transaction closes.

References

1. cbdMD Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Twinlab Brands, Expanding Into Legacy Supplements, Sports Nutrition, Women's Beauty, Weight Loss and Longevity Wellness. PR Newswire. September 2, 2026. Accessed September 3, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cbdmd-enters-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-twinlab-brands-expanding-into-legacy-supplements-sports-nutrition-womens-beauty-weight-loss-and-longevity-wellness-302867135.html

2. Assignment for benefit of creditors. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Accessed September 3, 2026. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/assignment_for_benefit_of_creditors

3. Twinlab files for bankruptcy protection. Los Angeles Times. September 5, 2003. Accessed September 3, 2026. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-sep-05-fi-rup5.4-story.html