Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP (“Charterhouse”), one of the longest established private equity firms operating in Europe, has entered into exclusive negotiations for the sale of a majority stake in Cooper Consumer Health (“Cooper” or “the Company”), a European independent over-the-counter (“OTC”) drug manufacturer and distributor, to CVC Fund VII.
The transaction is subject to workers’ council information and consultation and to the approval of relevant regulatory authorities.
Cooper, which is headquartered in Paris, was acquired by Charterhouse in 2016 and since that time has been transformed from a local French champion into a pan-European pure-play OTC platform that manufactures and distributes a diversified portfolio of branded and basic products on an international basis. Under Charterhouse’s ownership, the company has more than doubled in size through a combination of organic growth initiatives and targeted M&A activity to consolidate the sector and revenues are now close to EUR500 million. This included the strategic acquisition and integration of international consumer health company Vemedia, a large OTC branded product portfolio from Sanofi, alongside nine other successfully integrated add-ons to add further complementary brands.
Cooper’s large, international platform has a direct presence in seven European markets and over 30 export markets. It has a wide-ranging and complementary portfolio of branded products, including OTC medicines, dietary supplements and medical devices, positioning Cooper as a “one stop shop” for its customers, which include pharmacies, wholesalers and drugstores. The Company is well-placed for further international expansion and organic growth.
Read more/Source: Private Equity Wire
