Healthspan founder and chief executive Derek Coates, left, and Healthy Direct managing director Graham Winn celebrate the eight-figure deal that has brought together rivals which were once on opposite sides in a multi-million pound court case. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0567907)

HEALTHSPAN has acquired Healthy Direct in an eight-figure deal to become the UK’s biggest direct supplier of nutrition supplements.

Both companies were started in Guernsey and together they will distribute more pills and vitamins in the UK than any other business, including Boots. Healthspan founder and CEO Derek Coates was unwilling to divulge exactly what the deal was worth but happy to list the benefits.

‘By joining forces with Healthy Direct we pool knowledgeable staff and buying power and reduce a lot of common costs such as warehousing, call centres, IT and central overheads.  Together our monthly magazines will have a readership of nearly four million adults who are both time-rich and cash-rich.  We will have more readers than The Times, Telegraph, Express, Observer and Independent put together. This also makes us a powerful media force for future developments.’