Natrol Prolab buy

Supplement marketer Natrol enters sports fitness market with acquisition of Prolab Nutrition, a seller of sports nutrition products for bodybuilders through gyms, health food stores and other outlets. Natrol is paying $29 mil. cash and 124,270 shares of common stock for the company. Bloomfield, Conn.-based Prolab is expected to post over $30 mil. in sales for 1999. Chatsworth, Calif.-based Natrol plans to assist Prolab with manufacturing, purchasing and product/sales channel development, while Prolab will help enhance Natrol's international sales with its leading market position in Canada and presence in the U.K. and Germany, the firms say. Prolab is expanding its 32,000 sq. ft. distribution facility by 20,000 sq. ft. in the coming months