MARQUEE BRANDS ACQUIRES MARTHA STEWART AND EMERIL LAGASSE BRANDS

by Stephen Garner
Photo by Cindy Ord / Getty Images

Marquee Brands has acquired the Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse brands and all related intellectual property from Sequential Brands Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Through this acquisition, Marquee Brands will establish a new home and food division with two preeminent brands, increasing the reach of its portfolio to over $2.3 billion in annual retail equivalent sales. This new division will be led by the newly-named president of Marquee Brand’s home division Carolyn D’Angelo, who will contribute invaluable industry expertise to the organization in the next steps of its evolution.

In addition to this new division, the company, which is owned by investor funds managed by Neuberger Berman, currently operates in women’s fashion, men’s fashion, and active/outdoor.

Martha Stewart will join the Marquee Brands team and continue to guide the brand she founded. “I am thrilled to enter into this partnership with Marquee Brands, an organization that shares the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity on which I founded my business,” Stewart said. “In this ever-evolving retail and media environment, I am confident that Marquee’s business values, sophisticated digital expertise and international relationships will drive continued growth and position the Martha Stewart brand well for the future. My team and I look forward to embarking on this next chapter.”

“Martha Stewart is a visionary whose educational mission and innovative approach has inspired millions of people to live more meaningfully,” added Sam Porat, managing director of Neuberger Berman. “Martha Stewart branded products, known for their high quality, superior function and beautiful design, have enriched homes around the world.”

“This transformative acquisition allows Marquee Brands to enter the home, food, and media sectors,” commented Zachary Sigel, managing director of Neuberger Berman. “The addition of new partners, customers, and capabilities will further diversify Marquee Brands, improving its position as a preeminent global brand owner.”