UNIVERSAL-BEAUTY
9.12.2021 19:17:05 CET | Business Wire | Press release
The French natural cosmetics company, known for its Végétalement Provence brand, announces a €6m capital raise from a group of investors led by Connect Pro, an investment fund based in Marseille.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211209005914/en/
New shareholders
The arrival of new investors to develop Végétalement Provence, is led by Connect Pro alongside the private equity funds BNP Paribas Développement and Etoile Capital, whose membership of leading banking groups, will ensure the sustainability of the support. The financing is completed by the Région Sud Investissement fund.
« We were won over by the commitment and geographic proximity of Connect Pro and its co-investors, to help companies of our region to grow in France and internationally».
Vincent Faraco,
Co-Founder of Universal Beauty Group
Following the transaction, the founders, Vincent Faraco and Jean-Marc Delabre, will remain reference shareholders and will continue to lead the group.
« We are proud to invest in Universal Beauty Group, which will be the first investment of our new Sud Rebound fund launched in June this year. This venture in the heart of the local economic ecosystem is fully in line with our strategy to support the development of key business in our region».
Franck Paoli,
President and Founder of Connect Pro
Partners in growth
The investors’ entry into the company’s capital will allow the business to accelerate its development in the rapidly expanding natural beauty sector, a market expected to show annual growth of 6-9% over the period 2021-2027.
This transaction follows the first investment in the company’s capital in 2017 made by the private-equity fund Audacia, whose support has made it possible to double the number of product references and open 3 own-brand concept salons alongside about twenty independent concept salons under the Végétalement Provence brand, including the most recent salon opened in Lyon in October.
Végétalement Provence – a committed beauty brand
In 2008, Universal Beauty Group started as a distributor of haircare brands before launching its own brand Végétalement Provence in 2011 to offer hairdressing professionals a technical product that was kinder to the environment and customers’ health. In the space of a few years, Végétalement Provence has become a premium beauty brand recognized as much by professionals as by a general public in search of wellness.
With 170,000 products sold in 2020, Universal Beauty Group forecasts sales of €4m in 2021, with an EBITDA margin of around 20%. 70% of sales are made in mainland France, 15% in the French island of Reunion, and 15% internationally. Its eco-responsible products have been rewarded with numerous prizes for their innovation, and are acclaimed by international colourists and hair stylists in search of natural and high-performance products. The brand is distributed via more than 500 points of sale and through its own e-shop.
Established in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in the South of France since 2014, Universal Beauty Group, with the support of its teams, training academy, and logistics base, is ready to become a major player in alternative cosmetics and beauty.
« We are delighted to welcome our new partners who will bring their vision and support to the growth of Végétalement Provence whose potential is limitless ».
Jean-Marc Delabre,
Co-Founder of Universal Beauty Group
Among the projects for Végétalement Provence
The product range, designed and developed in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence will be further expanded. With the support of its new investor base focused on the region, Universal Beauty will place a particular emphasis on innovation
The company also plans to open a concept store in Paris in Spring 2022, a new base for Végétalement Provence. A significant investment will be dedicated to the digital development of the brand and to support e-commerce. Previously centred more on its domestic market, the new round of financing will allow the company to consolidate its international expansion.
"We are delighted to accompany the leaders of Végétalement Provence in this great adventure. With its unique products, Végétalement Provence responds to a fundamental trend. The increase in the number of people looking for natural products continues to grow and will offer significant development opportunities."
Rémy Garello,
Managing Director of Connect Pro
Fundraising process
The transaction is the conclusion of a competitive process launched in May 2021 to search for an investor. The process attracted very strong interest both in France and abroad from haircare and beauty companies, as well as private equity and family offices.
Universal Beauty Group was advised by Richard Morgan Advisory (Richard Morgan) and the law firm Volt Associés (Stéphane Letranchant, Lucas d'Orgeval). The investors were advised by the law firm Nova Partners (Olivier Nett, Julien Immoff), with the financial audit carried out by Deloitte Finance (Thomas Gorguis).
Universal Beauty Group - Végétalement Provence
Since its launch in 2011, with its hair and skincare ranges, Végétalement Provence quickly established itself as a real alternative to major brands among hairdressers and beauty professionals.
Its efficient plant-based product ranges, with natural and organic sourcing, meet the needs of a demanding professional public looking for technical prowess with a philosophy of eco-responsibility. In addition to the attractiveness and performance of its products, Universal Beauty Group benefits from a network of professional customers whose resale rate of Végétalement Provence products is unparalleled. While the usual resale rate of the sector in France is around 5%, it exceeds 20% with Végétalement Provence.
Today the brand offers a range of over 275 different beauty product references including 140 in hair and skincare for the general public, covering all needs.
Its ranges combine not just beauty and health, but also wellness based on the foundation of innovation and commitment.
The development of creative styling products, and the introduction of a specific line for ethnic hair, complete the product range. The Essentiels collection, with its shampoos and conditioners, has become a must-have for lovers of the brand.
For its professional clientele, Végétalement Provence offers a range of more than 130 colouring references, with an offer by oxidation and an organic offer based on plant powder.
Végétalement Provence currently has about twenty employees in its Saint-Rémy-de-Provence headquarters.
Connect Pro
Since its creation in 2007, Connect Pro has been supporting small and midcap businesses in the South of France in their development and transmission needs with more than €70m in capital invested. Among the latest equity investments, Mariton designs, manufacturer and distributer of custom-made mosquito nets and interior blinds, EITP, a heating and air-conditioning company and Pharma Santé Développement, a group of independent pharmacies. With Sud Rebond, Connect Pro launched its third fund in June 2021 with a fundraising of more than €15m from institutional investors and entrepreneurs in the South-East of France. It will be completed by a second round of fundraising in the first half of 2022 to reach €25m.
BNP Paribas Développement
One of the private equity funds of the BNP Paribas banking group, BNP Paribas Développement, manages €1 billion of its own funds, investing directly to support the development of successful mid-sized companies. BNP Paribas Développement, whose mission is to support management teams in the realization of medium-term strategic projects, has a portfolio of more than 400 holdings.
www.bnpparibasdeveloppement.com
Etoile Capital
Etoile Capital, a subsidiary of the bank Crédit du Nord, is a shareholder of French small business in widely diversified sectors, with a portfolio currently of about twenty investments. It positions itself as a shareholder in the capital of corporate clients of the various regional banks that make up the Crédit du Nord group. The fund brings to the shareholders and managers of its invested companies its expertise in strategic thinking and the means to accelerate development.
www.corporatefinance.groupe-credit-du-nord.fr
Région Sud Investissement
Région Sud Investissement is the regional investment company created in 2010 by the Southern Region of France to support the emergence and development of high growth companies.
Région Sud Investissement, endowed with €134m, benefits from the support of the European Union through the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), which contributes 42% of its funding. Région Sud Investissement is advised by Turenne Groupe in the management of its holdings.
www.regionsudinvestissement.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211209005914/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Mobix Labs Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Vision Aerial, Accelerating Global Drone Platform for National Security and Aerial Intelligence24.7.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Transaction accelerates Mobix Labs’ global aerial intelligence strategy and National Security Matters Initiative Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vision Aerial, Inc., a U.S.-based designer and manufacturer of American-built, National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-compliant unmanned aerial systems. The definitive agreement moves the transaction beyond the previously announced letter of intent and represents a major step toward closing an acquisition that would expand Mobix Labs into one of the world’s most important technology growth markets: secure drones, autonomous aerial systems and aerial intelligence for national security, critical infrastructure, energy, public safety, industrial inspection and government operations. Vision Aerial’s customers and end-users include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, government agencies, energy and utility operators, research institutions and other organizations requiring performanc
Enhertu® Plus Pertuzumab Recommended for Approval in the EU by CHMP as First-Line Treatment for Patients with HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer24.7.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Recommendation based on DESTINY-Breast09 phase 3 trial results that showed Enhertu plus pertuzumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 44% versus THP with a median progression-free survival exceeding three years If approved, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca’s Enhertu plus pertuzumab would become first new treatment in the EU in more than a decade for first-line HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer Enhertu® (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in combination with pertuzumab has been recommended for approval in the European Union (EU) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+ or in-situ hybridization [ISH]+) breast cancer. Enhertu is a specifically engineered HER2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NYSE: AZN). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP)
SLB Announces Second-Quarter 2026 Results24.7.2026 12:50:00 CEST | Press release
Revenue of $8.97 billion increased 3% sequentially and 5% year on year GAAP EPS of $0.52 increased 4% sequentially and decreased 30% year on year EPS, excluding charges and credits, of $0.55 increased 6% sequentially and decreased 26% year on year Net income attributable to SLB of $786 million increased 5% sequentially and decreased 22% year on year Adjusted EBITDA of $1.90 billion increased 7% sequentially and decreased 7% year on year Cash flow from operations was $1.36 billion and free cash flow was $716 million Board approved quarterly cash dividend of $0.295 per share SLB (NYSE: SLB) today announced results for the second-quarter 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722694386/en/ The exterior of the SLB headquarters in Houston, Texas.Second-Quarter Results(Stated in millions, except per share amounts)Three Months EndedChangeJun. 30, 2026Mar. 31, 2026Jun. 30, 2025SequentialYear-on-yearRevenue $8,972 $8
NIQ Expands GenAI Capabilities Across gfknewron, Turning Trusted Intelligence into Decisions Faster24.7.2026 12:30:00 CEST | Press release
New capabilities help businesses uncover trends faster, simplify complex analysis, and accelerate confident decision-making NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leader in consumer intelligence, today announced the expansion of AI-powered Smart Insights across its gfknewron® platform. By bringing together markets and categories into a single view, gfknewron enables businesses to transform complex market, consumer and supply chain data into clear, actionable intelligence quickly. The latest enhancements help users identify trends, opportunities and performance drivers more quickly, reducing the time required to analyze large datasets and accelerating confident decision-making across teams. As brands and retailers face growing pressure to respond quickly to changing consumer behavior and market dynamics, the ability to unlock meaningful insights from increasingly rich datasets has become a significant competitive advantage. As AI is only as effective as the intelligence behind it, Smart Insights helps busi
Thales to Strengthen Romania’s Airspace Protection With Twelve Ground Master 200 MM/A Radars24.7.2026 10:05:00 CEST | Press release
The Romanian General Directorate for Armaments and the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA – the French defence procurement agency) have signed an agreement to supply twelve Thales GM200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars to protect the Romanian airspace. This government-to-government agreement underlines the high level of partnership between France and Romania, within the framework of the European Union’s SAFE funding programme, in order to bolster Europe’s defence capabilities. The GM200 MM/A is part of Thales’ proven Ground Master radar family, which has already been deployed in over 40 countries, including now in Romania. In a context of growing collaboration between European nations to bolster collective security, the Romanian General Directorate for Armaments has just signed a landmark agreement with France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) to acquire twelve Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars. This government-to-governm
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom