Brazil: Hypermarcas sells nappy business to Ontex Group

Pharmaceutical and consumer products manufacturer Hypermarcas has announced the sale of its disposable hygiene products business that includes nappies for babies and sanitary products for adults. Ontex Group, an international manufacturer of personal hygiene products, has acquired the business for R$1 billion ($312 million), according to a report in Supermercado Moderno.

The divested business includes nappy brands Pom Pom, Cremer and Sapeka, as well as the adult sanitary brand Bigfral, which is reported to be the leading brand in the segment of incontinence products.

According to a company statement, the acquisition leaves Hypermarcas with resources that “will allow the company to focus its investments in the pharmaceutical business, which is displaying attractive medium and long term organic growth trends due to an aging Brazilian population, leveraging Hypermarcas' superior competitive position in this market”.

The transaction reportedly represents a final step in the company’s move to becoming a “pure-play pharmaceutical firm”.  The process included the disposal of the company’s cosmetics business to Coty in 2015 and the sale of its contraceptive brands to household and personal care group Reckitt Benckiser in early 2016.

Source: Supermercado Moderno