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Church & Dwight, the personal care giant that owns drugstore mainstay brands like Viviscal, Batiste and Nair announced on Monday that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire hand sanitiser brand Touchland for $700 million. A further earn-out contingent on Touchland’s 2025 sales could take the total purchase price as high as $880 million.
The acquisition follows Church & Dwight’s purchase of acne sticker brand Hero Cosmetics for $630 million in 2022. Touchland’s net sales for the 12 months leading up to March 31 were approximately $130 million, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $55 million. The deal is expected to close in Church & Dwight’s second quarter.
Originally founded in 2010, Touchland has become a runaway hit with Gen-Z and Gen Alpha, thanks to its playful selection of distinctive slimline hand sanitisers with trending scents like peppermint mocha and vanilla blossom. In January, it debuted its first range of perfume mists, while its core range of sanitisers, $10, were created by perfumers at the famed fragrance company Givaudan, which also makes perfumes for Jean-Paul Gaultier and Diptyque.
In a statement, Touchland’s founder and chief executive Andrea Lisbona said net sales were expected to grow double digits for the next two years. Church & Dwight said Lisbona is expected to stay on, and that it intends to retain all current employees.
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Church & Dwight’s chief executive Rick Dierker said the acquisition meets its long-standing criteria, which stipulates brands must be asset-light, growing, and either the number one or two brand in its category: it says Touchland is the number two hand sanitiser brand in the US.
Church & Dwight’s stock lifted 4 percent following the announcement.
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