P&G sells its African-American hair care products unit

Published: 1-Apr-2009

Procter & Gamble has sold Johnson Products Company, a market-leader in African-American hair care, to a newly formed independent entity comprising an experienced African-American management team and two LA-based private equity firms, Rustic Canyon/Fontis Partners and St Cloud Capital.


Procter & Gamble has sold Johnson Products Company, a market-leader in African-American hair care, to a newly formed independent entity comprising an experienced African-American management team and two LA-based private equity firms, Rustic Canyon/Fontis Partners and St Cloud Capital.

The company, which offers over 30 hair care products including the Gentle Treatment and Ultra Sheen brands, will continue to operate as Johnson Products Company under a new management team led by husband and wife Eric Brown and Renee Cottrell Brown, both of whom held senior executive positions with Alberto-Culver Company subsidiary Pro-Line International.

“The acquisition of Johnson Products represents the renewal of a family of products that revolutionised the ethnic hair care industry starting in the 1950s and the next stage of growth for a legendary company that has been an iconic figure and a model of success for African-Americans,” said ceo Eric Brown.

Johnson Products was founded in 1954 by George Ellis Johnson Sr and became part of P&G in 2003 with the C&T giant’s acquisition of Wella.

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