06 Jul 2015
Unilever acquiring Murad in fourth skincare acquisition this year
BY Jane Kitchen
Just days after the acquisition of Dermalogica, Unilever has announced it is buying skincare brand Murad. The company has also recently added brands Kate Somerville and REN to its personal care prestige portfolio.
Murad was founded in 1989 in Los Angeles, California, by Howard Murad MD, a dermatologist, pharmacist, and UCLA professor who developed a recipe of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and hydrators to address skincare concerns from acne to anti-ageing.
“We’ve always looked for opportunities to reach more people with our message of inclusive health and to touch more lives with our targeted, high-performance products,” said Dr Murad. “With Unilever, we can broaden our reach and significantly grow our brand while remaining faithful to the founding principles of Murad.”
Murad has a significant presence in the US through professional salons and spas such as Massage Envy, and it also has a regional hub for Europe located in the UK. The brand can be found in more than 42 countries.
“As an expert ‘Doctor brand’, Murad offers products in a differentiated clinical and holistic wellbeing segment,” said Paul Polman, Unilever CEO. “It has a loyal following that gives it excellent potential for expansion, and wonderfully complements the brands recently acquired. We look forward to working with Dr Murad and his team to continue to grow the brand.”
Murad had a turnover of US$115m (€104m; £73.9m) in 2014. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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