Procter & Gamble sell Yardley

by Grant Osborne, 03 October 2005

The Lornamead Group, today announces that it has acquired Yardley from Procter & Gamble for an undisclosed sum.

Yardley, established in 1770, is the quintessentially English toiletries brand. Lornamead has acquired the assets, rights and inventory relating to all Yardley products globally (excluding South Africa and Colombia). Yardley generates retail sales world-wide of approximately US$ 100 million.

Yardley is best known for its traditional bath luxuries including Yardley English Lavender. Its products are sold in major department stores and chemists with customers including Boots and Walmart, in the UK and US respectively. Yardley of London also maintains three Royal Warrants.

The Yardley transaction follows Lornamead’s acquisition of six Wella consumer brands including Vosene shampoo in June 2005 from P&G. Lornamead already manufactures and distributes hair care brands including Harmony, Once and Te Tao and has a licensing agreement with P&G and Wella to market and distribute hair care brands including Herbal Essence and Silvikrin in Ireland.

Commenting on this acquisition, Mike Jatania, Chief Executive of Lornamead, said:

“Yardley is a highly regarded luxury toiletries brand with a significant global presence. We believe there is considerable scope to expand Yardley, exploiting the awareness of the brand world-wide as well as new distribution channels.

Yardley was acquired by Procter & Gamble as part of the acquisition of Wella in 2003.