Hain Celestial Acquires Jason Natural Products

MELVILLE, N.Y.--The Hain Celestial Group acquired Jason Natural Products, a leading natural personal care product manufacturer, marking Hain's entry into the health and beauty category. While purchase details were not disclosed, Jason Natural's 2003 fiscal sales were estimated to be around $20 million.

Andrew Jacobsen, formerly Hain's general manager of non-dairy products, will serve as general manager of the Hain Celestial Whole Body Care Division. Jacobsen joined Hain in 1997 after Hain's acquisition of Westbrae Natural, where Jacobsen was president. Jeffrey Light, the founder of Los Angeles-based Jason Natural, will stay on board to work with Jacobsen and expand the company's reach in the natural health and beauty area.

"This is an exciting acquisition for Hain Celestial, giving us another excellent brand in a different aisle of the natural channel," said Irwin D. Simon, president and chief executive officer of Hain (www.hain-celestial.com). "We share many of Jason Natural's existing customers, and can now offer them and our many other customers Jason Natural products through our own distribution system." Simon added Hain plans to expand distribution of Jason Natural products into Canada and Europe, and to leverage the personal care expertise into product launches under Hain's Earth's Best and Celestial Seasonings brands.