The Hut Group on the verge of £100m skincare brand acquisition

Online health and beauty retailer The Hut Group (THG) is set to acquire a new skincare and spa brand in a deal worth over £100m.

The Cheshire-headquartered firm, which last month snapped up Australian beauty brand RY, is reported to be taking over ESPA.

According to Sky News, the brand is being sold to THG by private equity firm KSL Capital Partners.

ESPA’s products are sold by a number of high street retailers, including Harvey Nichols and John Lewis. Several hotel chains, such as Ritz-Carlton and Peninsula, also stock ESPA’s range.

The company has has UK offices in London and Sunderland.

Founded in 2004, today THG employs over 3,000 people.

The deal to snap up ESPA is just one of a number of acquisitions made by THG in the last 12 months.

Back in April, the firm bought marketing services agency Hangar Seven Limited.

That deal was followed up a month later by The Hut Group’s acquisition of hosting company UK-2 Limited from private equity house LDC.