Glanbia PLC of Ireland will acquire thinkThin LLC, a Los Angeles manufacturer of protein and fiber nutrition bars, both companies announced Monday. The deal, which is expected to be complete before the end of the year, is worth $217 million.

“We look forward to working with the Glanbia team as we enter the next phase of growth of thinkThin,” said Michele Kessler, chief executive of thinkThin, in a statement.

The acquisition of ThinkThin, which had sales of $84 million for the 12-month period ending in September, was expected to help Glanbia expand its business in the United States and increase the company’s presence in the nutrition bar segment, which is currently valued at more than $2 billion, a press release said.

“The transaction is firmly aligned with our overall growth ambitions and positions us well in the fast growing nutrition bar category as well as being value enhancing for our shareholders,” said Siobhan Talbot, group managing director for Glanbia, in a statement. Glanbia is known for its cheese and dairy ingredients as well as for vitamin and mineral mixes.

A spokeswoman for thinkThin declined to comment further to the Business Journal, but said that the company would continue to be headquartered in Los Angeles.