Dr. Organic, a UK skin care brand, has been acquired by NBTY, a US manufacturer and distributor of vitamins and supplements, which is itself a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group and owned by Alphabet Holdings – the parent company of Google.
The acquisition reportedly cost £55m, according to Bloomberg. Dr. Organic was first rolled out in the UK through health food retailer Holland & Barrett, which was acquired by NBTY in 1997.
NBTY President and CEO Steve Cahillane said: ”We are extremely enthusiastic about the strategic acquisition of Dr. Organic. We have a tremendous opportunity to expand our health and wellness portfolio and to broaden the distribution of these highly-regarded products. We believe the acquisition will allow us to accelerate NBTY’s entry into the mass-market beauty and skincare category particularly in the US, an area which we believe can be an important growth engine for our business, as evidenced by the success of our Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions product line.”
Dr. Organic is well known for its naturally-inspired skin care products that are free from chemicals such as parabens and sodium lauryl sulphate and artificial fragrances. Its products are also free from animal ingredients and are said to not be tested on animals.
Co-owners Fred Whitcomb and Steve Quinn added: “Our partnership with NBTY's retail division has proven to be the perfect fit for the Dr. Organic brand. We believe there is no better home for our well-loved brand and are pleased to be able to accelerate Dr. Organic’s next leg of growth through the unsurpassed expertise and prideful ownership of NBTY.”
