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LONDON — Unilever has entered an agreement to buy clinical skin care brand Murad.
Unilever has entered an agreement to buy clinical skin care brand Murad.
The consumer products giant said the deal, terms of which weren’t disclosed, will bolster its position as a key player in the personal care prestige segment following other recent acquisitions, including Dermalogica, Kate Somerville and REN.
Founded in 1989 in Los Angeles by Howard Murad, M.D., a dermatologist, pharmacist and UCLA professor, Murad has developed a range of products to address a wide array of skin care concerns, from acne to anti-aging. In the United States, Murad has a significant presence in salons and spas such as Massage Envy and specialty retailers such as Sephora, Ulta and Nordstrom, as well as through direct sales. The brand also has a regional hub for Europe located in the United Kingdom and can be found in more than 42 countries in department stores, pharmacies, spas and salons.
"We are delighted to welcome Murad to our portfolio of Prestige personal care brands," stated Unilever chief executive officer Paul Polman. "As an expert ‘doctor brand’, Murad offers products in a differentiated clinical and holistic well-being segment. 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."
Plans call for Murad, which had sales of $115 million last year, to be incorporated into Unilever’s Prestige division.
"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 productsm," Dr. Murad commented. "With Unilever, we can broaden our reach and significantly grow our brand while remaining faithful to the founding principles of Murad."