Dive Brief:
- Private equity firms Kingswood Capital Management and Performance Investment Partners on Wednesday announced they’ve agreed to acquire The Vitamin Shoppe from Franchise Group.
- Franchise Group, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, is selling the Vitamin Shoppe for $193.5 million, Kingswood Capital Management confirmed to Retail Dive.
- The deal is expected to close on or shortly after the agreement close date of May 15, as the “judge should rule on the sale order before then,” per a company spokesperson.
Dive Insight:
When Franchise Group filed for bankruptcy in November the company’s CEO said the move was necessary in order for it to fortify its strongest brands, including The Vitamin Shoppe, Pet Supplies Plus and Buddy’s Home Furnishings.
But less than six months later, the company has inked a deal to offload The Vitamin Shoppe.
The acquisition helps build out Kingswood Capital’s portfolio, which also includes Cost Plus World Market, outdoor retailer Mountain Equipment Company and fragrance retailer Obsession Holdings.
“We are excited to partner with The Vitamin Shoppe team and help them build upon the success the business has enjoyed over the last forty-eight years,” Michael Niegsch, a Kingswood partner, and Mark Genender, a partner with Performance Investment Partners, said in a joint statement. “We plan to make significant investments in the company’s third-party brand relationships, research and development across The Vitamin Shoppe’s owned proprietary brand portfolio, upgrades to the store fleet, and improvements to the omni-channel digital platform to deliver the best possible experience to customers.”
The Vitamin Shoppe itself has been making investments in its brick-and-mortar fleet. The retailer last month debuted a shop-in-shop Hometown Stores concept, which dedicates at least 200 square feet of space at each designated location to showcase brands, including Gorilla Mind, Bucked Up, RYSE, EHPlabs and Raw Nutrition.
Last May, the company launched a telehealth service called Whole Health Rx by The Vitamin Shoppe, which pairs customers with licensed medical providers who can then decide whether to approve them for particular medications.