Supplier of healthcare and prestige beauty solutions, French group Anjac Heath & Beauty has built a portfolio of expertise over the years with a strong focus on R&D. Its latest acquisition, Roval Cosmétiques, a player in the personal care, cosmetics, haircare and fragrance segments, marks Anjac’s biggest purchase to date.
With annual turnover of some €100m, Roval Cosmétiques is an expert in cosmetics formulation, manufacturing and filling mainly for private-label brands. The company’s sales are majority focused on the French market, and it operates three production sites in northern France, including Plastirev, a plastic injection specialist, and one factory near Barcelona in Spain.
“Roval Cosmétiques has a reputation for being industrially robust when it comes to processes and sourcing and also operates its own engineering department. This strong industrial profile, in addition to its product sectors that are complementary to our existing portfolio, specifically in haircare and fragrance, were a major draw,” explains Anjac Health & Beauty marketing and communications director Anne Rutigliano to Luxe Packaging Insight. With its Ecocert and Cosmos certifications, the company is also a good fit with the group’s aim to grow its focus on natural solutions.
In the beauty space, this deal is the latest in a string of acquisitions that began with the purchase of dermo-cosmetics supplier Shadeline in 2008. In 2017 Anjac further bolstered its cosmetics business with two acquisitions in France: powder specialist Aircos and Pascual Cosmétiques, an expert in hot-poured makeup formulas. Last year the group snapped up California-based formulation company Cosmetix West, a move that considerably opened up the US market and which also brought exposure from Asian brands looking to source from a US player. Rutigliano explains that while Cosmetix West’s expertise lies in emulsion, gel and oil formulas, with the help of French makeup formulators Aircos and Pascual Cosmétiques, it plans on developing “other technologies that could interest US brands”.
In terms of investments, Pascual Cosmétiques purchased a new filling machine (top and bottom filling) for stick formats at the end of 2019, while Aircos has a product innovation strategy in the pipeline targeting hybrid solutions spanning both the makeup and skincare segments.
Following the Cosmetix West acquisition, Anjac Health & Beauty reported annual turnover of €280m. Now with Roval Cosmétiques, the group accounts for more than €400m.
When it comes to the future, Rutigliano believes that Anjac is at a crossroads. “We’ve made more than six acquisitions in two years, so it’s been dynamic to say the least. We’ll continue to reinforce our expertise in key sectors including cosmetics, all the while retaining our strong R&D focus.” There is also a new identity in the works meant to communicate a more global vision of the group, which is slated to launch later this year.
