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SJ Partners and Management Acquires European Soaps, Ltd
SJ Partners through its affiliate SJ Capital Partners III LLC has -- with the participation of management --acquired European Soaps, Ltd ("Soaps" or the "Company").
European Soaps is the nation's largest wholesaler of French made soaps to independent gift stores. The Company's primarily sells its own Pré de Provence brand; it also distributes select Italian and German personal care brands.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Joining the Company as full time senior managers and investors are CEO Mark Lowenthal and Chief Marketing Officer Tanya Mandor. Lowenthal who has over 25 years of personal care experience was formerly the President of Revlon Europe / Middle East / Africa. Mandor had run marketing for Revlon where she successfully introduced the Colorstay line of cosmetics which became a $250 million business; before Revlon where she spent 12 years in marketing, she worked at Macy's for 14 years as a buyer with increasing levels of responsibility. Previous Company President Tom Garland also became an investor and will continue as President of the Company.
Joining the board of directors and also investing was Robert Phillips, the former President of Unilever Personal Products and former CEO of Clairol, Inc.
Debt financing was provided by Tenth Street Capital.
About SJ Partners, LLC
SJ Partners (SJP) acquires and advises middle market businesses. SJ Partners invests in consumer and services companies with $1-10 million in cash flow. Industries of particular interest include business services and consumer products. SJP also provides select investment banking services.
SJP's resources provide a deep base of operating and research knowledge. SJP's founder and CEO Scott Johnson was trained as an equity analyst and was a member of a #2 rated Institutional Investor rated equity research team at Merrill Lynch. The firm also benefits from its affiliated relationship with the NPD Group, one of the nation's largest private consumer market research companies. Lastly, SJP works with a set of operating partners who each have over 20 years of experience in the distribution, consumer and services industries.
About European Soaps LLC:
Headquartered in Seattle, WA, European Soaps LLC (www.europeansoaps.com) has been formed to acquire European Soaps Ltd. European Soaps Ltd. was founded over forty years ago and is the leading supplier of European made soaps to the nation's independent gift stores. European Soaps primarily sells products under its own Pré de Provence brand; it also sells select German and Italian personal care products.
For more information:
Scott Johnson
SJ Partners, LLC
scott@sjpartners.com
212-362-1530
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