French cosmetics group Rocher to buy US brand Arbonne

By

Marion Deslandes

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 2, 2018

French cosmetics group Rocher is about to add to its brand portfolio, by acquiring natural cosmetics label Arbonne, created in Switzerland in 1975 and then established in the USA since 1980. The French corporation, owner among others of Yves Rocher, Petit Bateau, Dr Pierre Ricaud and Flormar, has not disclosed the amount of the transaction. Rocher targeted Arbonne specifically as an international brand and for its multi-level marketing business model, operating through a network of 250,000 independent beauty consultants.

The Rocher group has a long experience in direct selling, dating back to 1987, with brands like Stanhome, Kiotis and Yves Rocher, and now operates a network of 220,000 consultants.

"The new acquisition is a genuine asset, reinforcing our position on the direct selling market, the business of the future, which in the last few years has made a real come-back," said Bris Rocher, the CEO of the French group, which is still owned by its founding family. "Access to employment has always been one of our fundamental concerns, and [the two groups'] respective expertise and their close collaboration can only serve to boost our brands' growth," added Rocher.

Arbonne was founded by Peter Mork, and its beauty and wellness products (skincare, cosmetics and nutrition supplements) are produced using natural plant ingredients. It shares the same vision as Yves Rocher, of "drawing inspiration from nature." California-based Arbonne generates an annual revenue in excess of €470 million ($550 million), and operates a manufacturing site and four proprietary distribution centres.

Through Arbonne's acquisition, the Rocher group is set to boost its market penetration in Anglo-Saxon markets, since the US brand is distributed in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Taiwan and Poland.
 
The Rocher group employs 17,000 people worldwide, and in 2017 it recorded sales for over €2 billion, of which about 35% were produced in France. In 2016, Rocher added to its portfolio by acquiring Israeli brand Sabon, specialised in artisanal soaps.