Luxury cosmetics giants are weighing up a £1 billion takeover of skin care brand Aesop.
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido and Luxembourg-based sustainable beauty retailer L’Occitane are among the suitors, according to sources of The Mail on Sunday.
Devotee: Actress Margot Robbie is a big fan of the skin care brand Aesop
CVC Capital Partners, investor in the Six Nations Rugby Championship, is also said to be considering a bid for the label – a favourite of Australian actress Margot Robbie.
Aesop was founded by hairdresser Dennis Paphitis in 1987 in Australia. He sold the brand to Natura & Co a decade ago.
Sources said Natura & Co – a Brazilian group which also owns the Body Shop and Avon – is sounding out possible buyers. Advisers to Natura & Co are calling for indicative offers for Aesop to be submitted by the end of this month.
One source said Groupe L’Occitane is working with advisers from Corporate Finance International on a possible offer.
Analysts suggested that Aesop could be sold for between £1billion and £1.5billion.
The MoS reported in August that Natura & Co was seeking to demerge or sell The Body Shop. It later announced that it might list Aesop on the US stock exchange.
