Beiersdorf AG is selling its selective skin care brand Juvena and its premium hair care brand Marlies Möller. Both brands belong to the Swiss-based La Prairie Group and will be sold to Troll Cosmetics GmbH in Austria. The two parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The decision to sell the brands is related to Beiersdorf’s “Focus on Skin Care. Closer to Markets.” strategy and the recently announced package of measures and investments designed to make the company more competitive.

“Selling the two brands will allow Beiersdorf to focus its resources within the selective market on developing La Prairie, the global premium skin care brand,” says Thomas-B. Quaas, chairman of the executive Board of Beiersdorf AG.

Beiersdorf’s Consumer Business Strategy “Focus on Skin Care. Closer to Markets” focuses on a small number of global skin care brands such as NIVEA, Eucerin, and La Prairie. These have critical mass or global distribution potential. Juvena and Marlies Möller are predominantly sold in the European markets. An open-ended investigation of the strategic options for the two brands found that the best solution for their future is to continue their development outside Beiersdorf and the La Prairie Group.

Last week, Beiersdorf AG decided on a package of measures and investments designed to safeguard its long-term future. The package comprises substantial investments in the company’s skin and body care brands, the global streamlining and harmonization of the product portfolio, and the realignment of regional structures. The sale of Juvena and Marlies Möller forms part of the package. In the future, Beiersdorf will focus its resources within the selective market on the development of La Prairie, the global premium skin care brand.

“The acquisition of the two premium brands Juvena and Marlies Möller will allow the family-run company Troll Cosmetics to expand its range of unique, physiologically highly sophisticated, and leading-edge concepts around the world. Troll Cosmetics stands for a selective distribution strategy that mainly targets perfumeries,” said Karl J. Troll, the owner-manager of Troll Cosmetics, whose company will be producing the products in Switzerland.

The Juvena and Marlies Möller brands employ some 90 people in five countries, and Troll Cosmetics is said to be interested in taking over employees.