Cosmetics brand Groupe Rocher to acquire Arbonne International

French cosmetics and beauty brand Groupe Rocher has entered a definitive agreement to acquire beauty retailer Arbonne International.

The acquisition is intended to expand Groupe Rocher’s portfolio of brands outside the EU and help Arbonne International to benefit from its resources and expertise.

Groupe Rocher CEO Bris Rocher said: “This acquisition will be a real asset that will enable us to strengthen our positioning in the direct selling channel, which has seen an upturn over the past few years.

“We also have a heritage of providing employment opportunities dating back to my grandfather, our founder, Yves Rocher, who cared deeply about providing employment since he started his business. This, combined with our direct selling know-how, should foster company growth and longevity.”

Arbonne’s information technology (IT) platform will facilitate the move from traditional direct selling to social selling, enhancing Groupe Rocher’s current model.

Arbonne CEO Kay Zanotti said: “We share with Groupe Rocher commitments to pure, botanically based products and sustainability, as well as a long-term business vision that is grounded in family values.”

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Arbonne offers a range of vegan skincare, nutrition and makeup products. With a production site and four integrated distribution sites, the firm is part of holding company Natural Products Group (NPG).

Established in Switzerland in 1975, Arbonne has approximately 800 employees and more than 250,000 active independent consultants with products being sold in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Poland.

Groupe Rocher is an independent group with more than 17,000 employees.