Wipro to buy Yardley in UK; add Woods of Windsor brand

Diversified group Wipro Ltd has signed an agreement with the Lornamead Group to acquire its Yardley portfolio in the UK and other select European markets, excluding Germany and Austria.

Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, the FMCG arm of Wipro Ltd, already owns the premium personal care brand Yardley in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Australasia and the present acquisition further expands Yardly's, and Wipro's, geographic reach.

Wipro did not disclose the value of the acquisition.

Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting acquired the Yardley portfolio for Asia, Middle East, North Africa and Australasia from Lornamead in December 2009.

Besides Yardley, Wipro will also acquire the 'Woods of Windsor' business, another heritage brand in the UK, which is well known for its floral fragrance range of personal care products.

''Given the brand's performance it was only logical to own both the brands in its home market in the UK, which in FY12 clocked a revenue of Rs29.6 crore ($6.2 million). We will be able to leverage the brand's core values and offer new products to consumers across our markets and are confident that we will be able to develop the Yardley brand further, especially by using our strong R&D and international footprint. Yardley in the UK will see sustained brand building initiatives,'' said Nagender Arya, regional director (East Asia, Middle East and Africa), Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting.