Holland & Barrett parent acquires Essenza chain
NBTY Europe, the owner of Holland & Barrett, has acquired the Belgian health and wellness chain Essenza as the group looks to grow its European presence in the specialist health food and natural remedies sector.
The group said the 13-store Essenza chain will complement its successful De Tuinen brand in the Netherlands which operates 120 stores in the country.
Essenza chief executive Melissa Hellebuyk will remain in the business to manage the transition with assistance from the De Tuinen management team.
Commenting on the acquisition, Peter Aldis, chief executive officer of NBTY Europe said: “This is an important acquisition for NBTY Europe as it fits perfectly with our wellness strategy and adds further to our aim of being at the forefront of health retailing in Europe.
“We share common values with Essenza in striving for retailing and customer service excellence. We have set ambitious expansion plans for growing the business in Belgium following the success of our Holland & Barrett and De Tuinen brands in respect of their store presence and omni-channel aspirations.”
NBTY Europe has 704 Holland & Barrett stores in the UK and Ireland in addition to 53 international franchise stores. It also operates 57 GNC shops in the UK.
