Harry’s to Acquire DTC Deodorant Brand
Harry's Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lume (pronounced loo-mee) Deodorant, a doctor-developed, direct-to-consumer brand. The transaction, which is expected to close by the end of 2021, marks the first acquisition for Harry's Labs, the manufacturer’s innovation engine and brand accelerator.
Lume was created by board-certified obstetrician gynecologist Dr. Shannon Klingman to treat external body odor all over the body, debunking the false origin of all-over body odor and giving all humans “the confidence to live free from odor and self-doubt,” according to a media release. The vegan brand is free from aluminum, baking soda, dyes and is cruelty-free.
"I created Lume because I knew women deserved better options to manage body odor... Many of my patients struggled with odor 'below the belt' and were told bacterial vaginosis was the likely cause. My medical training made me suspect that causes of odor were actually the same all over the body,” said Lume founder and CEO, Shannon Klingman M.D., in the release. “Years of research confirmed my hypothesis and led me to develop the first-ever, all-over body odor product that works by blocking the odor reaction anywhere it is applied on the body.”
Harry's Labs seeks out fast-growing consumer brands that deliver “things people like more,” according to the company. The brand accelerator aims to offer founders of acquired brands an opportunity to scale their brands with the support of Harry's expertise and infrastructure, including brand development, design, DTC marketing, sales, engineering, distribution and recruiting. Previously, Harry's Labs developed and launched several disruptive brands including women’s body care brand Flamingo, DTC cat essentials subscription box startup Cat Person and digitally native haircare brand Headquarters (now also available at Walmart stores).
"We are thrilled to partner with the Lume brand to help further our mission to create things people like more." said AndyKatz-Mayfield, Harry's co-founder and co-CEO. "At Harry's, we've successfully scaled personal care businesses and are excited to partner with Lume to help grow this business and continue to disrupt the body odor category by giving even more consumers access to Lume's innovative odor control products."
The company's flagship brand Harry's was founded by Jeff Raider and Katz-Mayfield in 2013. After successfully launching and scaling Harry's, the duo saw an opportunity to bring their entrepreneurial expertise and Harry's internal resources to other CPG categories. Today, the company is comprised of Harry's, Flamingo, Cat Person, Headquarters and Harry's Labs.