Manetti & Roberts sells Somatoline brand to Olyos

Manetti & Roberts, a subsidiary of the Bolton Group, has sold the Somatoline brand, Italy's leading dermo-cosmetics brand, to Olyos, an international platform specialising in natural health and nutrition products.

Founded in 1973, Somatoline is a leading brand specialising in OTC products, cosmetics and dietary supplements in the pharmacy dermo-cosmetics segment. Somatoline offers a premium range and is known as the No.1 brand in pharmacy slimming. Its products are distributed through over 3,600 pharmacies and more than 600 parapharmacies, as well as through online channels. Somatoline is mainly present in Italia, France, Spain and Belgium, and is also indirectly distributed in Greece and Switzerland.

"We are very pleased to have joined Manetti & Roberts in this operation, which marks a new chapter in the development of Somatoline. Indeed, joining the Olyos group offers the brand an important international platform and solid growth prospects, thanks to the group's strong competencies in the pharmacy channel and its presence in numerous markets. We are convinced that this integration will allow Somatoline to further enhance its premium positioning and accelerate its development in Italia and abroad," said Matteo Paggi, ceo of Translink Italia, financial advisor of Manetti & Roberts.

With the integration of Somatoline, Olyos now has 675 employees and a turnover of more than 200 million euro, which has enabled it to further strengthen its presence in Southern Europe.

Controlled by Motion Equity Partners, a recognised player in the private equity sector with more than EUR 1 billion in assets under management, Olyos has established itself as the partner of choice for pharmacies, which account for around 80% of its sales, and also uses the e-commerce channel as a complementary route to market. The Group markets its products in more than 60 countries, mainly through its local subsidiaries (Italia, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru) and through an extensive network of distributors.