French investors disclosed a majority stake acquisition this Wednesday, confirming an agreement that aligns Suavinex with a French multinational owned by a British investment group. The deal includes a strategic separation from the founding Lubian family and places the company under new ownership while maintaining its independent brand identity within a broader corporate group. The minority stake will be held by the current chief executive officer, Juan Ramon Garcia, who has led Exclusivas Rimas, the corporate name behind Suavinex for more than two decades. [Source: Suavinex]
Under the new structure, Suavinex will operate as an autonomous brand within the Peek A Boo group, a portfolio that also features Bebaa, a leader in premium baby care and personal care products in France. The group is headed by a Belgian-born executive with extensive experience in the childcare sector, and the transition will safeguard the existing workforce while preserving two production sites. One facility sits at the Las Atalayas industrial estate in Alicante, and another operates in Slovakia, both considered central to the group’s ongoing manufacturing capacity. [Source: Peek A Boo]
48 million turnover
Established 42 years ago, Suavinex has become a market leader in Spain for light child care products, aided by a longstanding alliance with Mercadona as a supplier. In 2021, the company reported total sales approaching 48 million euros, concentrated within the Spanish market, reflecting a year-over-year increase of about 12 percent. The group’s operating profitability, measured by EBITDA, rose by roughly 8.3 percent, representing 8.11 percent of turnover, while net results finished the period with a positive figure of around 287 thousand euros, marking a break from the prior four-year loss trend. [Source: Suavinex financials]
Product-wise, 2021 marked a broad recovery across all strategic families, including pacifiers, feeding bottles, and cosmetics. The company shifted away from pandemic-related products such as masks and disinfectants and realigned supply with rising demand in its core lines. Outside Spain, the group expanded its presence in key markets, with notable growth in existing subsidiaries and in new direct distribution channels. The Chinese market remained constrained for much of the year due to ongoing restrictions, while Italy and France showed strong performance. Portugal emerged as a market gaining strategic significance for the group’s expansion. [Source: Group performance]
In Spain, Suavinex continued to rely heavily on the pharmacy channel, which accounted for roughly half of its sales. The adjacent distribution channels also grew, with e-commerce showing resilience as consumer habits shifted post-pandemic. Overall, the group maintained steady momentum in Spain and invested in direct-to-consumer strategies to strengthen market access. [Source: Market analysis]
European leader
Julien Laporte, CEO of Béaba and operating partner at Bluegem, commented on the acquisition from his base in Alicante, noting the significant opportunity to strengthen the group’s European footprint by merging two premium brands. The objective is to create a European leader in the baby care sector, concentrating on both food-related products and personal care, according to an official group statement. [Source: Bluegem press release]
Bluegem partner Mathieu Develay emphasized that combining Béaba and Suavinex would establish a solid platform for sustainable growth and value creation across markets. Juan Ramón García, Suavinex’s managing director, stated that the integration within the Peek A Boo group would reinforce the company’s international presence and broaden its reach in global channels. [Source: Bluegem and Suavinex]
Masks and gel’s pandemic era impact
In discussing the strategic move, Bluegem’s leadership underscored the potential for cross-brand synergies and a stronger foundation for expanding premium offerings across Europe. The parties anticipate a smoother integration that preserves product volumes while enabling broader distribution through the newly aligned network. [Source: Bluegem]