Belgium: Kruidvat introduces new store concept
Dutch pharmacy chain Kruidvat, owned by Asian conglomerate AS Watson, has launched a new city store concept in Antwerp, Belgium. According to Retail Detail, the new Kruidvat In De Stad (‘Kruidvat In The City’) concept is designed for city centre locations, offering more shelf space for beauty products, on-the-go snacks and weekly offers, alongside the […]
South Korea: Unilever to acquire Carver Korea
Unilever, the global FMCG firm, has announced that it is to buy South Korean skincare and cosmetics firm Carver Korea in a €2.27 billion deal. Founded in 1999, Carver Korea originated as an aesthetics company supplying professional products to beauty salons, and is now said to be the fastest-growing skincare business in South Korea, through sales […]
UK: The Hut Group acquires spa brand ESPA
The Hut Group, an e-commerce firm specialising in health and lifestyle brands, is continuing is rapid expansion into cosmetics and toiletries with the acquisition of UK spa brand ESPA in a rumoured £100 million ($130 million) deal. ESPA markets a range of skincare and cleansing products for men and women, as well as operating 600 […]
Switzerland: Nestle to shut healthcare factory in Egerkingen
Nestle Skin Health, a healthcare division of FMCG multinational Nestle, has announced its intention to cease operations at its Egerkingen factory in Switzerland with the potential loss of 190 jobs. The firm said low production volumes at the site had resulted in underutilization of assets and had thus placed additional pressure on manufacturing cost. “Nestle Skin Health is […]
South Africa: Marico acquires hair styling brand Isoplus
Mumbai-based FMCG company Marico has announced the acquisition of the leading South African hair styling brand Isoplus for about 36 crore INR ($5.6 million). The deal, which includes Isoplus’ manufacturing facilities, working capital and intellectual property rights, was made between the previous owners JM Products and Mary L Harris and Marico’s subsidiary Marico South Africa. […]
UK: GSK to consider selling Horlicks and MaxiNutrition as part of business overhaul
British FMCG and pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline has announced its intention to sell its Horlicks brand of hot drinks in the UK, together with its MaxiNutrition business. The sale is reportedly part of the company’s strategy of focusing on its pharmaceutical business, which accounts for £16.1 billion ($20.1 billion) in annual sales. Horlicks was originally acquired […]
Germany: Beiersdorf to build a new headquarters in Hamburg-Eimsbuttel
German health and beauty company Beiersdorf has announced plans to build a new headquarters and research centre in Hamburg-Eimsbuttel, Germany. Costing €230 million, the new facility will have a total area of about 100,000 sq m and nearly 3,000 “state-of-the art” workstations. The construction will begin this year and it is scheduled to be completed […]
USA: Unilever to acquire Hourglass Cosmetics
Unilever, the FMCG giant, has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Hourglass Cosmetics, a US-based manufacturer of colour cosmetics. Hourglass Cosmetics, which markets eye, lip and facial cosmetics, as well as the skincare brand Equilibrium, was founded in 2004 and promotes itself as being “at the revolutionary intersection of science, beauty and […]
Brazil: Natura Cosmeticos secures acquisition of The Body Shop
L’Oreal, the global personal care giant, has announced that it has signed a contract for the sale of The Body Shop to Brazil-based Natura Cosmeticos. The French firm announced earlier in June that it was in “exclusive discussions” with Natura Cosmeticos over a potential deal, which valued The Body Shop at an enterprise value of […]
India: Marico launches customized deodorants
Leading Indian FMCG firm Marico has launched a new deodorant under its male personal care brand Set Wet that can reportedly be personalized for each consumer. Said to be targeted at a ‘younger’ audience, the product is described as a “first of its kind individualised deodorant that features the possibility of being personalised”, as each pack […]