Branded, a NYC-based provider of a digital consumer products platform, acquired Heyday, a company which specializes in digital brand creation, to form a new company, Essor.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed. As part of this transaction, Essor secured new equity investment and a new credit facility. The additional capital will support acceleration of its growth strategy, including both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
The acquisition enhances Essor’s portfolio with a lineup of brands and offers retail expansion capabilities and an innovative marketplace-first technology and data platform. Essor’s portfolio of health and wellness and lifestyle brands include Boka, Puracy, ZitSticka, FreshCap, OTOTO Design, Viking Revolution and Iron Flask. In total, they have more than one billion social views, hundreds of bestsellers and approximately $400 million in annual revenue with substantial profitability.
The new company will be led by a leadership team with Pierre Poignant, Co-Founder and CEO of Branded, to serve as CEO of Essor, Sebastian Rymarz, Co-Founder and CEO of Heyday, to take on the role of President, and Ben Kaminski, Co-Founder and Chairman of Branded, to serve as Chairman.
Established in August 2024, Essor leverages proven track records of both companies in applying its platform capabilities to scaling and transforming challenger brands into household, omni-channel and global brands.
Essor and its predecessors have raised over $400m from investors such as The Raine Group, Premji Invest, Target Global, Declaration Partners, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Victory Park Capital, General Catalyst and Khosla Ventures. after BRANDED’s acquisition of Heyday.
Branded was originally founded in September 2020 by Pierre Poignant, Ben Kaminski and Alexis Lanternier. Heyday was originally founded in August 2020 by Sebastian Rymarz and Adam Gerchen.
FinSMEs
09/09/2024