EssilorLuxottica is entering optical
retail in Romania by acquiring Optical Investment Group, a
leading player in the country from Innova/6, a private equity
fund of Innova Capital Group, and a group of individual minority
shareholders. The deal, the financial terms of which are not
disclosed, "will allow us to further strengthen our retail
presence in the CEE region, growing the local market and
supporting the goal of fostering access to quality eye care for
the benefit of all our stakeholders," explains chairman and a.d
Francesco Milleri.
Romania, recalls a note from EssilorLuxottica, has 19 million
inhabitants, and in the country the group already has "more than
1,800 optical partners and customers, who have always been
pillars of the group's strategic vision, to whom it will
continue to offer its innovative products." Optical Investment
Group, founded in 2019 with the support of Innova Capital, was
born from the combination of two optical retail brands, OPTIblu
and Optiplaza. "Over the years, Optical Investment Group has
significantly consolidated its network of stores and developed
its e-commerce channels, thanks to the talents of more than 650
employees and optometrists. Optical Investment Group operates
one of the largest optical retail networks in the country, with
99 stores under the OPTIblu, Optiplaza and O51 brands," recalls
the note announcing the transaction. "We are happy to welcome
Optical Investment Group, a reference company in Romania in the
optical market, with an experienced management and a deep
knowledge of the dynamics of the sector in the country," Essilux
chairman Francesco Milleri stressed, commenting on the deal,
which is expected to close in the last quarter of 2024, after
the green light from the relevant regulatory authorities.
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