Chr. Hansen Expands Probiotics Offering For Women’s Health
Chr. Hansen has acquired HSO Health Care. The acquisition of the Austria-based B2B company specialising in probiotics for women’s health will strengthen and expand Chr. Hansen’s global microbial platform. The deal is aligned with Chr. Hansen’s strategy of pursuing bolt-on acquisitions that fit into the microbial platform, as outlined in the Nature’s no. 1 strategy.
Mauricio Graber, CEO of Chr. Hansen, says: “I am excited that we have reached an agreement with HSO Health Care, which has demonstrated very fast growth through a globally recognized portfolio that complements our own UREX™ products nicely. Women’s health is a high-growth segment where innovation is becoming increasingly important, and with the addition of the Astarte™ portfolio we will be able to deliver innovation to a much larger market more quickly.”
Helmut Essl, CEO of HSO Health Care GmbH, said: “HSO Health Care has been working from a mindset of scientifically documented, natural products since our inception, and we are delighted that with the addition of the Astarte™ products to Chr. Hansen, we can make an even greater impact on a global scale. I am very excited that Chr. Hansen will now bring Astarte™ to the next level.”
A scientific approach to common urogenital discomforts
Urogenital discomfort is a concern for women all over the world who are increasingly looking for intimate care products based on natural ingredients. This has driven the category for women’s health to be among the fastest-growing in the probiotics market. Mauricio Graber concludes: “Chr. Hansen is committed to keep unleashing the Power of Good Bacteria™, and I am proud that we will now strengthen our offering of probiotic concepts for women that can help to enable a balanced female microbiota, ultimately contributing to their well-being and quality of life.”
The acquisition is fully aligned with Chr. Hansen’s capital allocation principles, and does not impact the ability to pay out an ordinary dividend of 40-60% of net profit. The purchase price will be financed from existing available cash and bank facilities, and the acquisition has no impact on the 2019/20 outlook. Under the terms of the agreement the details of the transaction will not be disclosed.
