PZ Cussons has expanded its presence in the baby and child personal care category with the acquisition of a 92% interest in Childs Farm for a total consideration of £36.8m.
Founded by Joanna Jensen in 2011, Childs Farm is now a market-leading brand with natural-orientated baby and child personal care lines including bath and shower, skincare, and haircare. Its products are sold in major supermarkets and health & beauty stores in the UK, while also expanding overseas. For the year ended 31 December 2020, the business reported a pre-tax loss of £0.9m on turnover of £17.4m.
Jensen retains an 8% stake in the business, but PZ Cussons revealed that it had agreed on a path to full ownership by the end of May 2025.
The owner of brands such as Carex, Imperial Leather, Original Source, and Cussons Baby stated that Childs Farm was “highly complementary” to its strategic focus behind the core categories of Baby and Hygiene. “As we welcome Childs Farm to the PZ Cussons family as a Must Win Brand, we will leverage our Brand Building capabilities to improve its UK leadership position, while also seeking to capture its significant international potential,” the group said.
PZ Cussons noted that the business had attractive gross margins, and has established strong sustainability credentials, through its cruelty-free and vegan products.
Jonathan Myers, Chief Executive Officer of PZ Cussons, commented: “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.”
Jensen added: “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.”
