Swander Pace Capital (SPC) has completed the sale of Clarion Brands, a consumer products company specialising in over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare solutions and dietary supplements, to Bridges Consumer Healthcare LLC, a consumer healthcare company partnering with Charlesbank Capital Partners.
Clarion markets a portfolio of leading niche OTC and dietary supplements brands that are sold to food, drug, mass, and online retailers throughout the United States and Canada.
Swander Pace Capital partnered with the former management team of Insight Pharmaceuticals following its sale to Prestige Brands Holdings in 2014, and created the Clarion consumer healthcare platform. Under the ownership of SPC, Clarion built its product portfolio of seven brands specializing in over-the-counter healthcare solutions, including three No1 healthcare professional (“HCP”) recommended brands: Florajen Probiotics, the No1 pharmacist recommended probiotic brand where carried, Lipo-Flavonoid, the No1 ENT doctor recommended OTC product for ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and Certain Dri, the No1 doctor recommended OTC brand for controlling excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis).
“The SPC team was essential in providing the guidance and financial support to grow our business, and it’s been our pleasure to work with them through two very successful transactions,” says Gary Downing, CEO of Clarion. “Our work together has helped accelerate our value creation initiatives, including new product innovation, growth with our retail partners, unique HCP outreach initiatives and aggressive efforts to build out e-commerce channels.”
“We are very proud to have partnered with Gary and the Clarion team for another successful investment in the OTC category,” says Mo Stout, Managing Director at Swander Pace Capital. “Through significant brand development, innovation, and operational execution, we were able to create a best-in-class OTC platform company. We want to thank the entire Clarion team for all of their hard work during our ownership, and we look forward to watching the brands continue to grow and flourish as part of the Bridges organisation.”
Sawaya Partners, LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Clarion and Swander Pace Capital, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel to Clarion and Swander Pace Capital on the transaction.
