Groupe Marcelle acquires Lise Watier Cosmétiques

• Groupe Marcelle becomes the largest Canadian company in the beauty industry
• Four flagship brands are maintained: Marcelle, Lise Watier, Annabelle and CW Beggs and Sons
• $18-million investment by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 18, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Groupe Marcelle, Canadian cosmetics developer, manufacturer and distributor, announced today its acquisition of Lise Watier Cosmétiques.

"This acquisition is aligned with our strategic growth plan and enables us to diversify our portfolio with the addition of a prestigious and complementary brand," said David Cape, President of Groupe Marcelle. "Through this transaction, Groupe Marcelle will become the leading Canadian company in the beauty industry. It brings us one step closer to reaching our ambitious objective of becoming one of the 100 largest global cosmetics manufacturers."

"Many efforts have been undertaken over the past 40 years to make Lise Watier Cosmétiques a highly respected and valued brand. I am pleased that this well-established company with bright prospects for the future has been acquired by a Canadian group. I am convinced that the significant complementarity between our two organizations will allow Lise Watier Cosmétiques to continue to evolve while preserving its intrinsic brand DNA," said Lise Watier, Founder of Lise Watier Cosmétiques.

Groupe Marcelle's vast expertise in research and development and its modern manufacturing facilities will be used to continue to develop the Lise Watier brand.

An investment by la Caisse that positions Groupe Marcelle as the leader of its industry
"This $18-million investment by la Caisse will bring together two high-quality Québec companies to create a new industry champion," said Christian Dubé, Executive Vice-President, Québec at la Caisse. "Groupe Marcelle has demonstrated, over the years, its ability to innovate constantly and develop new products. This investment is perfectly aligned with our strategy of furthering the growth of innovative and high-performing companies, while generating attractive returns for our clients."

ABOUT GROUPE MARCELLE INC.
Groupe Marcelle Inc. is a Canadian company whose head office is located in Montréal, Québec. As a result of this acquisition, close to 360 people work in the research, development, production and marketing of its some 1,000 Marcelle®, Lise Watier®, Annabelle® and CW Beggs and Sons® products. Marcelle® offers a complete line of cosmetics and skincare products. Lise Watier offers a complete line of cosmetics, skincare and fragrance products. Annabelle Cosmetics® offers a complete line of cosmetics products. CW Beggs and Sons® offers men's skincare products.

ABOUT CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2015, it held $240.8 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, la Caisse invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

SOURCE Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

FRANCOIS LAFORTUNE, GROUPE MARCELLE, Vice President, Marketing, Office: [phone] poste 215, Mobile: [phone], [e-mail]; JEAN-BENOÎT HOUDE, CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC, Senior Advisor, Media Relations, [phone], [e-mail]