US company buys into Alpha-H

US private equity firm, The Riverside Company, has bought a stake in one of Australia’s most internationally recognised skincare brands ‒ Alpha-H.

Established in 1995, Queensland-based Alpha-H has until now been 100 percent owned by Michelle Doherty, her husband Dean and their three daughters (Jamee, Libby and Taryn) since its early beginnings.

Michelle bought the company, which currently sells two bottles of its hero product, Liquid Gold, “every minute, every hour”, after using its products to treat her chronic acne.

Within days, Michelle says she saw “immediate and sustained visible improvements” not just in her skin, but “in her confidence and self-esteem” too.

She said the “life changing” experience led to give up her job to buy the company which was then in its infancy.

Today, Alpha-H is sold in over 1000 salons, clinics and spas as well as on TV shopping networks, in major retailers (Sephora, Marks & Spencer, Myer and Harvey Nichols) and on a selection of airlines (including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic) in over 25 countries.

Following the announcement of the new business partnership, Professional Beauty asked Michelle a few questions about the deal and the changes it will bring to Alpha-H.

What percentage of Alpha-H has the Riverside Company bought?
“While we are excited about our partnership with The Riverside Company, myself, Dean, and the rest of the Doherty family will very much remain an integral part of Alpha-H. We will still be actively involved in the business from an operational perspective, and we retain a substantial stake in the company.”

Why did you choose to sell part of the company?
“After spending a significant amount of time with Riverside, we feel they will be a wonderful partner for Alpha-H. Both Alpha-H and Riverside have a shared belief that the brand has room for considerable growth through continued investment in new product development, branding, marketing, procurement and production planning. Through our partnership with Riverside, we will be able to achieve this far sooner.

How do you think it will benefit the brand in the short- and long-term?
“Riverside will be scoping out and supporting our expansion into both new and existing markets, which will really help to supercharge our current growth plans. We are confident this investment will support our ambitions for expansion and investment in new product development and marketing, all the while remaining true to our ethos of producing high efficacy products which our wonderful customers truly value.”

What are the company’s plans for the year ahead?
“The year ahead will continue to focus on our recent launches with Sephora into the US and European markets. In addition, we are also working on expanding into India, Indonesia and South Korea in the near future. Our whole existing team is excited about working alongside Riverside, as we look forward to reaching and exceeding our goals together.”

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