The Body Shop
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
International specialty bath and body product retailer looking to regain control of U.S. business, which currently operates independently under direction of Adrian Bellamy. "Discussions are progressing well towards the purchase," UK firm states, adding an announcement is expected in near future. Bellamy assumed leadership of The Body Shop's U.S. operations in 1998 under an agreement giving him options to buy up to 51% of the business between 2000-2002. Exec recently undertook firm's first retail expansion initiative since the early 1990s, with 20 new stores planned in 2001 (1"The Rose Sheet" April 23, p. 4). Discussions of possible buyout of The Body Shop International by Mexican nutritionals direct-seller Omnilife have ended without an agreement, firm says. Omnilife approached The Body Shop June 7 with its interest in purchasing the company (2"The Rose Sheet" June 11, In Brief)