Huntington Capital has sold its portfolio company Crescent House Publishing (DBA Scentsa) to Sephora. Huntington first invested in Scentsa in July 2010 through its Huntington Capital Fund II, LP.
Scentsa is an interactive digital technology that combines digital media plus interactive features for cataloging and delivering fragrance and cosmetic product information, vendor advertising, and employee training directly to the retail sales floor. The company is based in Carlsbad, CA (www.scentsa.com).
The acquirer of Scentsa is Sephora, a French brand and chain of cosmetics stores founded in Paris in 1970. Featuring more than 100 brands, along with its own private label, Sephora offers beauty products including makeup, skincare, body, fragrance, color, and haircare. Sephora is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (www.sephora.com).
Sephora has had an exclusive partnership with Scentsa for the past five years beginning in 2008 when Sephora introduced the Scentsa Fragrance Finder in its stores. The Scentsa Fragrance Finder allows shoppers to find information on the latest fragrances, through an interactive digital platform. In July 2013, Sephora rolled out SkincareIQ, which leverages the Scentsa technology platform. Skincare IQ provides a way for consumers to match their personal skin care needs to thousands of skin care products, and offer a comprehensive facial skin care product library designed to address a wide range of skin care concerns. Scentsa’s interactive, wall-mounted technology is in all freestanding Sephora stores.
Huntington Capital is a mezzanine capital provider to lower middle market companies throughout California and the Southwestern United States. Huntington invests in businesses generating between $10 million and $75 million in revenues across a range of industries. Investments are typically structured in the form of growth capital, buyout or acquisition financing ranging between $2 million and $7 million. The firm was founded in 2000 and is based in San Diego, CA (www.huntingtoncapital.com).
© 2013 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 8-26-13