Kolkata: FMCG major Emami on Friday said it has acquired a leading German personal care brand, Creme 21, for €11-12 million ($12.52-13.65 million) but the same will not be introduced in India anytime soon. “It is our first international acquisition of this size in this segment. We had acquired a small company earlier. The brand has been acquired at around €11-12 million of little less than 1.5 times of sales of €8 million,” Emami director Harsha V Agarwal said. “This international acquisition will add to about 15 per cent of total overseas revenues and is in line with the companys strategy for growth through inorganic route,” he said. The brand will help expanding the company’s international business which is primarily dependent on personal care. The segment alone accounts for 70 per cent of its total business in India.
The brand has a major business in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Saarc and Russian markets offering skin care and body care products such as creams and lotions, shower gels, sun care range and mens range, the company said. The acquisition is being funded from Emami’s internal accruals. The products are manufactured by a third party in Germany under the ‘asset light’ model. “With current sale at over 8 million euro and a gross margin of over 50 per cent, Emami expects to take this brand on an aggressive growth trajectory,” said Emami.