Intrepid Investment Bankers, a leading middle-market investment bank and the advisory arm of global financial group, MUFG, announced today that it acted as the exclusive buyside advisor to Gemspring Capital Management, LLC (“Gemspring”) on the acquisition of Creative Laboratories, LLC and United Hair Care, LLC (collectively, “Creative Labs”). Headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, Creative Labs is a premier developer, manufacturer, and provider of branded and contract-manufactured hair and skin care products.
Creative Laboratories: 35+ Year Family History
With its family-owned and operated roots dating back to 1988, Creative Labs is a vertically integrated platform of nine high-growth hair, skin, and tanning brands sold across the professional, retail, and eCommerce channels. The company also provides full-service contract manufacturing to third-party brands encompassing R&D, product testing, large-scale manufacturing, bottling and labeling, packaging, marketing, and branding.
The Next Chapter
Creative Labs’s partnership with Gemspring provides institutional resources and expertise to further scale its foundation and help accelerate the growth of its brands. Creative Labs is well-positioned to capitalize on several near-term opportunities including product expansion and deeper penetration across all channels, alongside complementary add-on acquisitions.
“We are grateful for Intrepid’s tenacious efforts in helping us get the deal across the finish line and are excited for what’s in store next,” said Kristin Steen, Managing Director at Gemspring Capital. “Intrepid’s expertise in the beauty and personal care industry along with their significant debt advisory capabilities were instrumental in the success of this transaction. Their guidance was both effective and invaluable, ensuring a seamless and highly beneficial outcome for all parties involved.”
The Bottom Line
Intrepid’s Capital Advisory and Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness teams joined arms to provide Gemspring with a comprehensive buyside advisory solution for its acquisition of Creative Labs. “By combining deep industry knowledge in the beauty sector with global access to institutional capital, the team was able to deliver an outstanding result for both Gemspring and Creative Labs,” said Jonathan Zucker, Head of Capital Advisory at Intrepid. “We think the partnership of Gemspring and Creative Labs creates a truly differentiated platform in the beauty care industry and are excited to see what they can build together,” added Steve Davis and Lauren Antion Hansen, Co-Heads of the Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness team at Intrepid.