A maker of natural health and body care products, Jason Natural had fiscal sales of approximately $20 million in 2003.
"Natural and organic body care fits perfectly with our natural and organic foods," said Ira Lamel, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Hain. "The consumer is becoming more and more aware of what we eat and what we put in our bodies."
In the short term, Hain sees significant opportunities for Jason Natural in the Canadian and European markets, where the company does not have a presence and where Hain's distribution network is well established.
The company will also explore the possibility of creating a range of products for babies and children under its existing Earth's Best brand and developing a line of Celestial Seasonings herbal body care products.
"With the overall health and body segment growing at approximately 14 per cent and Jason Natural exceeding that growth rate, we're particularly pleased with this acquisition," said Irwin D. Simon, president and CEO of Hain.
Jason is part of Hain's longer term plans to acquire an overall body care business worth circa $100m, though Lamel assured NutringredientsUSA.com that as yet they had not identified any other companies as suitable for acquisition.
"We've had great success in buying companies and brands when they get to a size where they need to be part of a bigger organisation," he said.
Jason Natural was created in 1959 to produce hair and skin products from naturally sourced ingredients and became the first cosmetic company in the health food/natural body care industry to be ISO certified.