Baby and child firm Childs Farm acquired by PZ Cussons

Baby care specialist Childs Farm has been bought by PZ Cussons for £36.8m.

Joanna Jensen (pictured above), founder of Childs Farm, has subsequently made an investment into the PZ Cussons subsidiary that completed the acquisition such that PZ Cussons now holds a 92% interest in Childs Farm for a total consideration of £36.8 million, with an agreed path to full ownership by the end of May 2025.

Basingstoke-based Childs Farm has grown rapidly since it started trading in 2011 and is now the market-leading brand in UK baby and child personal care with product lines across bath and shower, skincare and haircare with a strong sustainability focus.

Childs Farm's founder, Joanna Jensen, will continue as an investor and as a champion of the brand, in both the UK and abroad.

In the year ending December 2020, Childs Farm had gross revenues of £17.4 million and reported a loss of 0.9m.

Jonathan Myers, Chief Executive Officer of Manchester-based PZ Cussons, said the acquisition would help with brand building and also offered international growth opportunities.

He said "The foundations of our new strategy 'Building Brands for life, Today and for future generations' are firmly in place and are delivering results.

"As we transition from turnaround to transformation, we are delighted to take this important step to accelerate growth in our core categories and priority markets.

"Over the past decade, Joanna and her talented team have built a category-leading brand, loved by millions of parents seeking the very highest quality products for their children.

"Childs Farm is a clear leader in sustainability, demonstrating that we share a strong ethos, as PZ Cussons journeys towards our own B Corp ambition. We look forward to welcoming Childs Farm to the PZ Cussons family as a Must Win Brand, and to driving the next stage of its growth both in the UK, and beyond."

The acquisition is not expected to contribute to PZ Cussons' bottom line until May 2024.

Joanna Jensen, Founder of Childs Farm, said: "I am incredibly proud of the brand that Childs Farm has become, and what the team at The Barn have achieved to bring natural, sustainable sensitive skincare to the little ones of Britain and beyond. It is clear to me that in PZ Cussons, with our shared vision for the brand and cultural fit, we have found a fantastic partner, and the team and I look forward to working with them to take the business to the next level."

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