LESSONIA's founder, Christophe WINCKLER, has sold the majority of his shares in order to structure the shareholder base around a team of managers, led by Sébastien GUILLOTIN. The transaction was conducted alongside BPIFRANCE and NEWALPHA VERTO, which acquired equity stakes in the company, supported by BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT.
Located in Saint-Thonan (Finistère), LESSONIA specialises in the custom manufacturing of cosmetics and the production of natural ingredients for cosmetics brands in France and international markets, which represent more than 65% of its business.
Since its creation in 2002, LESSONIA has demonstrated its ability to seize market opportunities, spotting emerging trends early on among cosmetic brands as well as consumers, while investing steadily to become a key market player in the following speciality areas: natural exfoliants, recyclable sheet masks, shampoos and shower gels with a low environmental impact.
With a workforce of 230 employees, LESSONIA has been committed to its ambitious social and environmental policy for over 10 years. Its policy covers aspects such as talent management (quality of life at work, diversity, inclusion, local jobs), the quest for responsible industrial processes (optimisation of resources and environmental protection, COSMOS and ECOCERT certifications), and strategic product positioning (natural and eco-responsible products that are upcycled, recyclable, or biodegradable or promote zero waste).
In keeping with Christophe WINCKLER’s wish to stay true to LESSONIA’s local roots, the transaction allows managers to increase their stake and take majority control of the company. Minority investors and banking partners, such as NEWALPHA VERTO, BPIFRANCE and BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT, are backing the company as part of the deal in order to support it in in this new stage of its development. This new governance fosters far-reaching ambitions for the company, in line with its strong growth trajectory.
Christophe WINCKLER, Founder of LESSONIA - “Handing over control of the company to the management team which, day after day, contributed to LESSONIA's development was a goal that I set myself in 2013. Two intermediate stages, enabling them to increase their holdings, had already been carried out. As I leave the company, I am proud that we have achieved this goal. I know the team led by Sébastien GUILLOTIN very well, and I know that it has the ambition and agility to continue developing LESSONIA at a steady pace for the benefit of our employees and our customers and distributors, many of whom have placed their trust in us for the long term. I see the work being done by our research and development teams on future products that have significant development potential, because they take into account the need to reduce the environmental impact of cosmetic products. All the ingredients are in place to enable LESSONIA to reach new milestones and strengthen its positions as an international leader in its speciality areas.“
SEBASTIEN GUILLOTIN, Managing Director of LESSONIA - “I am delighted to be able to open a new page in LESSONIA's history, with partners such as NEWALPHA VERTO, BPIFRANCE, and BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT. Thanks to their confidence in our project, we can consider the next steps in our development with confidence. We share the values of eco-design, quality and agility that make our employees proud and enable us to offer products that are attract strong interest from customers.”
LAURE DACHARY, ANTOINE DARY and PIERRE CUER from the NEWALPHA VERTO fund - “LESSONIA is a company that we have been following for several years. It has a remarkable capacity for innovation and execution, which enabled it to position itself very early on in niche markets for natural cosmetic ingredients and finished products with a low environmental impact. This pioneering DNA, combined with a corporate culture focused on people and the planet, has enabled it to acquire leadership positions in Europe and strong recognition from prestigious clients. We are delighted with the trust placed in us by Christophe WINCKLER and the management team led by Sébastien GUILLOTIN, whom we are delighted to support in this new stage of development, particularly with the launch of promising new ranges: zero-waste anhydrous personal care products, and new 100% natural alternative materials and ingredients.”
Jean-Marie FOUGERAY, Investment Director at BPIFRANCE - “This transition in the shareholder structure has been very well managed in advance by Christophe Winckler and his management team for several years. We were won over in particular by LESSONIA’s capacity for innovation and its CSR policy. We are proud to support the company as it continues on its remarkable journey and to contribute to its local positions and international reach.”
Guillaume DARY, Partner at ADVISO PARTNERS - “Regional, impact, primary. Three words perfectly aligned with ADVISO PARTNERS’ DNA that reflect the transactional environment that we favour. This transaction will provide LESSONIA with the financial resources to continue its development, particularly in terms of environmental impact, to strengthen its positions as world leader, and to enable the company’s managers to increase their stake in its capital.”