Bloomington-based Illume, a distributor of home fragrance and beauty products, has been purchased by Regent Holding Co. of California, the companies announced Tuesday.
Terms of the deal were not made public.
Illume designs and produces candles, home fragrances, lotions and perfumes that are found on shelves of 7,000 stores in 44 countries. The company markets its merchandise under the Illume brand as well as private labels for such retailers as Anthropologie, West Elm and Target.
No immediate layoffs are expected among the companies' 120 employees, said Liz Barrere, the company's CEO and president in an e-mail.
Barrere will continue in her position, and Illume's factory in Bloomington will continue to produce items for the combined company.
Regent Holding is one of the largest players in the U.S. gift and home accessories market. Its products are sold in more than 30,000 retail stores in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia through its other two home furnishings and accessories brands, Creative Co-Op and Bloomingville.
Barrere said there are many commonalities between the companies Regent and Illume. "Our companies have a strong perspective on product, trend and design, and it will be exciting to get us all together to create," she said.
The prestige candle market, where Illume is a big player, is a large and steadily growing segment of the broader home-fragrance market, approaching approximately $2 billion in sales last year.
Creative Co-Op, the original company brand, is based in Memphis, Tenn., and distributes candles, jewelry and flea-market inspired home decor that often wind up on Pinterest and in national magazines.
Regent Holding was formed in October 2014 after Creative Co-op purchased Nordic-inspired furniture designer Bloomingville. The Denmark-based company's sleek furnishings are sold in thousands of independent retail storefronts and premier department stores across Europe, and its minimalist wood, fabric and metal items may become available in U.S. stores in the coming months.
Illume moved to Minnesota in 2007 and previously operated as Starlume. It sells to consumers at illumecandles.com.
Jackie Crosby • 612-673-7335
