Alberto Culver to acquire Simple Health & Beauty for $390 million

Alberto Culver Company, a leading manufacturer and marketer of beauty care brands including TRESemme, Alberto VO5, Nexxus, St. Ives and Noxzema has proposed to acquire Simple Health & Beauty Limited, a leading UK-based skin care company, from a mid-market private equity fund for $390 million.

Alberto Culver is the second largest producer in the US of products for the ethnic hair care market with leading brands including Motions and Soft & Beautiful, while several of its household and grocery brands such as Mrs Dash and Static Guard are niche category leaders in the US.

Simple Health, the second-biggest skin-care brand in the UK with estimated 2009 sales of £65 million, is being put for sale by private-equity fund Duke Street, which has approximately €2 billion in funds under management.

Solihull-based Simple, one of the UK's fastest growing skincare brands, has seen its sales grow at 15 per cent a year, to £61 million in 2008.

Simple is ranked the UK's No.1 facial skincare brand in units and No.3 in value. Over the last five years, it has delivered annual growth 2.5 times that of the market as a whole.

The company products include Facial Cleansing Wipes, Conditioning Eye Make-Up Remover, Moisturising Foaming Facial Wash and Soothing Toner, which are all number one products in their respective categories within the facial skincare market.