Warpaint London acquires Barry M brand
#Warpaint London #Barry M #Cosmetics Industry #Acquisition #Beauty Brand #W7 #Market Expansion
📌 Key Takeaways
- Warpaint London has officially acquired the well-known British cosmetics brand Barry M.
- The acquisition aims to combine Warpaint's distribution power with Barry M's heritage and brand loyalty.
- The move is part of a broader strategy to dominate the budget beauty and 'masstige' market segments.
- Barry M's vegan and cruelty-free credentials will bolster Warpaint's ethical product standing.
📖 Full Retelling
Warpaint London, the specialist budget cosmetics company, announced the acquisition of the iconic British beauty brand Barry M in London on February 11, 2025, to significantly expand its market share and product portfolio within the global beauty industry. The deal marks a major consolidation in the UK cosmetics sector, as Warpaint—known primarily for its W7 and Technic brands—integrates a company famous for its trend-setting nail polishes and cruelty-free makeup. This strategic move is intended to leverage Warpaint's extensive distribution network to scale Barry M’s presence both in domestic retail and across international markets.
The acquisition comes at a time when budget-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking high-quality alternatives to luxury beauty products, a trend that Warpaint London has successfully capitalized on in recent years. Barry M, founded in 1982 by Barry Mero, has maintained a loyal cult following for decades, particularly among younger demographics. By bringing Barry M under its corporate umbrella, Warpaint aims to utilize its robust supply chain and manufacturing efficiencies to revitalize the brand's classic offerings while introducing new innovations to the mass market.
Industry analysts view the merger as a logical progression for Warpaint London as it seeks to diversify its revenue streams and reduce reliance on a single brand identity. The integration is expected to yield significant cost synergies in marketing and logistics. Furthermore, Barry M's established reputation for being 100% vegan and cruelty-free aligns with current environmental, social, and governance (ESG) trends, providing Warpaint with a stronger competitive edge in the ethical beauty space. Moving forward, the company plans to maintain Barry M's distinct brand heritage while accelerating its digital transformation and e-commerce capabilities.
🏷️ Themes
Business, Economy, Retail
📚 Related People & Topics
Barry M
British cosmetics company
Barry M is a British cruelty-free cosmetics company, specializing in on trend make-up and nail products. Based in Mill Hill East, London, it was founded by Barry Mero in 1982. Employing over 80 people in a 45,000 square foot production, distribution and warehouse facility in Mill Hill, the company g...
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Connections for Barry M:
- 🌐 Cosmetic industry (3 shared articles)
- 🌐 Cosmetics (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Stock market (1 shared articles)
📄 Original Source Content
try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry As Claude disrupts stock market, Anthropic researcher warns ’world is in peril’ Gold, silver prices rise amid U.S.-Iran tensions, blowout January payrolls data Dow halts three-day win streak as blowout jobs data curbs rate cut bets Citi pushes back Fed rate cuts to May after blowout January jobs report (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) Warpaint London acquires Barry M brand Editor Maria Ponnezhath Stock Markets Editor Maria Ponnezhath Published 02/09/2026, 02:47 AM Warpaint London acquires Barry M brand 0 W7L -1.12% Investing.com -- Warpaint London PLC (AIM:W7L) has acquired the Barry M cosmetics brand for £1.4 million in cash, subject to court approval expected Monday. The acquisition includes Barry M’s intellectual property, stock, and order book, but excludes manufacturing capabilities and liabilities. Barry M is being purchased out of administration and had approximately £15 million in revenue for the year ended February 28, 2025. The well-established value cosmetics brand has significant retail distribution with one-meter-plus stands in over 1,300 stores, including 650 Superdrug locations, 420 Boots stores, 120 Sainsbury’s outlets, 50 Tesco stores, and 90 Priceline Australia locations. Warpaint also provided a trading update for the year ended December 31, 2025, expecting revenue of approximately £105 million, up from £102 million in 2024, with improved gross margins. This includes a £12 million contribution from Brand Architekts, acquired in February 2025. The company’s adjusted EBITDA for 2025 is expected to be around £22 million, down from £25 million in 2024. Brand Architekts contributed £0.8 million in positive adjusted EBITDA, compared to an approximate £1 million loss in 2024. Revenue was negatively impacted by the closure of Bodycare (£3 million loss), challenging consumer environment (£4 million loss), and business lost due to US tariff uncertainty (£2 million loss). Warpaint reported cash bala...