Adds Leading, All-Natural Product Line in Sunless Tanning to Crown’s Dermatology Portfolio
NEW YORK & JOHNSON CITY, TN – Crown Laboratories, Inc. (“Crown Laboratories”), a leading, fully integrated, specialty pharmaceutical company and a Hildred Capital Partners, LLC (“Hildred”) portfolio company, today announced it has acquired Vita Liberata, an Ireland-based company with advanced organic formulations, specializing in sunless tanning and skincare products.
Founded in 2003 by Alyson Hogg, Vita Liberata was the first completely non-toxic tanning brand, with a collection of odorless products free from parabens, perfume and alcohol. Vita Liberata products employ the company’s proprietary Advoganic™ Technology, which combines cutting edge skin chemistry with highly potent organic botanicals. The technology fully releases the premium ingredients’ potential, enabling skincare benefits that are superior to those found in formulas using traditional cosmetic chemicals. Vita Liberata’s award-winning collection is sold in premium retailers across the U.S. and Europe, as well as in more than 26 countries worldwide. The brand is the self-tanner of choice for the world’s top spas, including George V Paris, St Regis, Viceroy, Ritz-Carlton and Burj Al Arab. Ms. Hogg will stay on as President of Consumer Brands for Crown Laboratories.
“We believe the Vita Liberata product line and the company’s strength in premium retail are a terrific complement to Crown’s Blue Lizard sunscreen brand and builds on Crown’s consumer healthcare products strategy in the dermatology space,” said Jeff Bedard, Crown Laboratories President and CEO. “Alyson and her entire team have done a remarkable job disrupting the self-tanning space, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Crown family. We will work together to continue to provide high-quality products that are at the forefront of skincare innovation.”
“The harmful effects of UVA and UVB exposure are undeniable, and skin cancer rates continue to rise worldwide,” said Alyson Hogg. “Before Vita Liberata, few natural alternatives existed. Our ingredients are natural, certified organic and Ecocert – the purest in the tanning world. Crown and Hildred have a genuine understanding of the suncare market and a very impressive vision for the Vita Liberata brand. We are thrilled to partner with them to leverage Crown’s strong positioning within the dermatology space and advance our mission of making self-tanning a viable alternative to sun exposure for all.”
“Hildred’s goal for Crown is to build value by providing the company with the flexibility needed to foster organic growth while leveraging our experience to identify products that would complement Crown’s current offerings and contribute to accelerated growth,” said Hildred Partner David Solomon. “With a distinctive portfolio and an impressive track record of growth, Vita Liberata is a very exciting opportunity and a natural fit with Crown. As we mentioned at the time of the Crown acquisition, we will continue to actively look for interesting acquisitions, licenses and partnerships as we seek to build upon the growing overlap between medical, aesthetic, and over-the-counter dermatology,”.
The Sage Group served as exclusive financial advisor to Vita Liberata.