Groupe Marcelle, a leading Canadian cosmetics developer, manufacturer and distributor (brands Marcelle, Anabelle, CW Beggs & Sons) has announced its acquisition of Lise Watier Cosmétiques. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed.

This acquisition is aligned with our strategic growth plan and enables us to diversify our portfolio with the addition of a prestigious and complementary brand,” said David Cape, President of Groupe Marcelle. “Through this transaction, Groupe Marcelle will become the leading Canadian company in the beauty industry. It brings us one step closer to reaching our ambitious objective of becoming one of the 100 largest global cosmetics manufacturers.

Groupe Marcelle, whose head office is located in Montréal, Québec, intends to take advantage of its expertise in research and development and its modern manufacturing facilities to continue to develop the Lise Watier brand as well as the group’s three other brands — Marcelle, Annabelle, and CW Beggs & Sons — totalizing some 1,000 products.

As a result of this acquisition, the company will employ close to 360 people.

The transaction was facilitated by an investment of 18 million Canadian dollars made by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) in exchange for a stake which was not specified.

This investment by la Caisse will bring together two high-quality Québec companies to create a new industry champion,” said Christian Dubé, Executive Vice-President, Québec at la Caisse. “Groupe Marcelle has demonstrated, over the years, its ability to innovate constantly and develop new products. This investment is perfectly aligned with our strategy of furthering the growth of innovative and high-performing companies, while generating attractive returns for our clients.