Beiersdorf is best known as the maker of Nivea. But the German multinational is also the parent company of La Prairie.
In a bid to boost its prestige beauty chops and fast-track growth in North America and Asia, Beiersdorf has acquired the cult beauty brand, Chantecaille. Financial details were not disclosed, but the deal values the business at US$590 million to US$690 million.
Chantecaille was founded in 1997 by Sylvie Chantecaille, a French beauty maven who moved to New York in the 1970s and helped to create the Prescriptives brand for Estée Lauder in 1979.
With its emphasis on botanical ingredients, New York-based Chantecaille has attracted celebrity fans including Jennifer Aniston, Dame Judi Dench and Jennifer Lopez. Sold online and through Mecca in Australia, best-selling products include Rose de Mai Cream, Bio Lifting Mask and Future Skin Foundation. The brand’s Pure Rosewater was named as one of the Top 100 Skincare Products of All Time by WWD’s Beauty Inc.
One of the first luxury beauty brands to use flowers and plants in a scientific way, Chantecaille is very much a family business. Sylivie’s husband Olivier is the CFO, daughters Olivia and Alexandra are the brand’s creative director and vice-president of sales, and son Philippe is director of media production.
Chantecaille started exploring a sale last August and generated US$100 million in global sales in 2021.
Following the finalisation of the acquisition, Chantecaille will be separately managed as a complementary selective brand within Beiersdorf next to La Prairie.
Through the acquisition of Chantecaille, we are building our portfolio in prestige beauty and strengthening our position, especially in the US, China and Korea, which is a priority of our C.A.R.E+ strategy, says Vincent Warnery, CEO of Beiersdorf.
“We are pleased to welcome Chantecaille and its dedicated team to the Beiersdorf family. With its strong philanthropic approach, Chantecaille is a clarion voice for global environmental concerns and supports conservation efforts around the world that are in line with Beiersdorf’s sustainability agenda.”