NBTY signs agreement to acquire Dr. Organic

NBTY, Inc., a global leader in vitamins, nutritional supplements and sports nutrition, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Dr. Organic^®, a leading naturally inspired skincare line in the UK. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close later this year.

The Dr. Organic brand, which was first sold exclusively at NBTY's Holland & Barrett retail chain in the UK, experienced rapid success and was brought to the U.S. in 2013 under the Organic Doctor^® name. In the U.S., Organic Doctor is sold exclusively through NBTY's Vitamin World^® retail division, where the brand has been equally well-received by consumers. The Dr. Organic and Organic Doctor brands have won multiple beauty awards in both the UK and the U.S. for their organic-based personal care products. The beauty and personal care industry is a multi-billion dollar market that represents a natural extension for NBTY given its position as a leader in the wellness industry.

"We are extremely enthusiastic about the strategic acquisition of Dr. Organic. We have a tremendous opportunity to expand our health and wellness portfolio and to broaden the distribution of these highly-regarded products. We believe the acquisition will allow us to accelerate NBTY's entry into the mass-market beauty and skincare category particularly in the U.S., an area which we believe can be an important growth engine for our business, as evidenced by the success of our Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions product line," said NBTY President & CEO Steve Cahillane.

Founded in 2008, Dr. Organic combines nature's finest ingredients with the latest skincare science to ensure that all the active ingredients remain as pure, powerful and effective in the finished product as the day they were sourced. All Dr. Organic products are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, perfumes, artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, genetically modified organisms, animal ingredients and animal testing. The Dr. Organic product portfolio includes some of the best-selling and most sought-after personal care products, including Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, Manuka Honey Body Butter, Coconut Oil Moisture Melt and Organic Snail Gel.

"Our partnership with NBTY's retail division has proven to be the perfect fit for the Dr. Organic brand. We believe there is no better "home" for our well-loved brand and are pleased to be able to accelerate Dr. Organic's next leg of growth through the unsurpassed expertise and prideful ownership of NBTY," said Dr. Organic co-owners Fred Whitcomb and Steve Quinn.

NBTY is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group.

Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to NBTY in connection with the transaction and Dorsey & Whitney LLP acted as legal advisor to Dr. Organic in connection with the transaction.