Whilst the financial details of the deal are yet to be disclosed it is expected to be completed in May following regulatory approval, and the Anglo-Dutch consumer company will look to captialise on REN’s loyal following.
“REN brings an innovative, edgy and uniquely positioned brand, at the crossroad between high tech and natural, two key trends in premium skin care; therefore tapping into global market growth,” a Unilever spokesperson tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.
“Given its size and early stage of development in a number of countries, REN will benefit from the support from Unilever.”
According to Unilever, there is considerable room to extend REN’s brand and channel footprint in existing and new markets, and the company will look to achieve this by leveraging its global reach, operational best practices and strong skin care R&D, marketing and consumer research.
Development
Created in 2000 by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft, REN pioneered a new type of high performance skin care, tapping into the natural trend too, helping to cement its market position.
As such, the brand, sold predominantly in specialty stores and pharmacies, is today sold in 50 countries and has built a committed consumer base, which Unilever says will be key to its future success.
“We are delighted to be adding REN to the Unilever portfolio of personal care brands,” adds Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever SVP Prestige Brands.
“It is a brand with an incredibly loyal following, with a unique proposition that no doubt gives it potential for even further growth, especially given that the naturals category is one of the fastest growing in skin care globally. Its premium positioning complements well our existing portfolio.”
Co-founder and CEO Antony Buck, REN CEO, adds that it has been great to build the brand over the past 15 years, but the time is right to take it to the next level, and for this to occur, the Unilever acquisition needed to happen.
“Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide,” he says.