News

Vi-Jon Holding Announces Strategic Reorganization and Company Name Change

New organizational structure designed to sharpen strategic focus, optimize growth opportunities, and build the foundation for the future.

ST. LOUIS, MO (January 4, 2024) – Vi-Jon Holding today announced a strategic reorganization of its business designed to establish clear focus and expectations, empower its dedicated employee-owners, and position the company for continued success and expansion. In doing so, the company formed Vivos Holdings, a consumer-packaged goods holding company focused on providing household and personal care products to retail and industrial customers and consumers. Vivos’s businesses include:

• Consumer Product Partners, a leading manufacturer of private brand liquid-fill household and personal care products for sale to retail, industrial and distributor customers and a provider of contract manufacturing services to other consumer products companies;
• UpLift Brands, a branded health, beauty, and personal care company, focused on offering a broad portfolio of innovative products, including products under the Germ-X®, Citroma®, Sonoma Spa®, Mountain Falls® and Alpine Extreme® brands, to consumers; and
• INSPR Labs, a provider of a broad array of research and development, analytical and laboratory services to the health, beauty, personal care, and household products industries.

In connection with the reorganization, the company also announced that it will begin operating under the name Emprise Group to better reflect its structure as a 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company focused on establishing a diversified portfolio of investments across a range of retail, industrial, consumer products and other industries.

“This reorganization represents a pivotal moment in our journey to transform and grow our business,” said Richard Koulouris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emprise.  “Since our transition to a 100% employee-owned organization in August 2020, we have taken several actions to re-position our businesses for long-term sustainable growth.  We have changed the culture of our organization profoundly and are as passionate about creating value for all employee-owners and their families as we are about delivering superior quality, service and value for our customers and consumers.”

“Through this reorganization, we are strategically repositioning our organization – establishing clear focus and expectations, leveraging the core competencies and strengths of our various businesses, and creating a foundation for enhanced growth and diversification.  The reorganized business will allow us to accelerate innovation, drive greater efficiencies, broaden potential future growth opportunities, and maximize the potential value for all employee-owners,” continued Koulouris.  “We expect to create opportunities in each company for our employee-owners to thrive and grow, and we are confident that each of our businesses will maintain the same level of customer focus and commitment to value creation.”

The reorganization resulted in the following direct and indirect subsidiaries of Emprise:

Consumer Product Partners

Consumer Product Partners is a leading private brand liquid-fill household and personal care organization, focused on providing value to customers by producing high-quality and innovative products that consumers desire at prices that are affordable for all.  Consumer Product Partners will operate two modern, efficient manufacturing and distribution complexes located in the St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee metropolitan areas to produce over 3,500 different private brand products that are sold to more than 200 retail and industrial customers and millions of consumers across North America.  Consumer Product Partners will also offer contract manufacturing services to other consumer products companies.  You can learn more about Consumer Product Partners and its manufacturing capabilities by accessing its website at www.consumerproductpartners.com.

UpLift Brands

UpLift Brands is a focused, innovative branded health, beauty, and personal care company, offering consumers a broad range of products under the Germ-X®, Citroma®, Sonoma Spa®, Mountain Falls® and Alpine Extreme® and other brand names.  Through its asset-light business model and an established network of contract manufacturing partners, UpLift Brands plans to rapidly build a broad portfolio of unique brands that consumers love and trust by acquiring other brands, organically growing its customer base, and expanding its geographic footprint.  You can learn more about UpLift Brands and its portfolio of brands by accessing its website at www.uplift-brands.com.

INSPR Labs

INSPR Labs is a provider of a broad array of analytical and laboratory services, including chemistry analysis and microbiological testing, to the health, beauty, personal care, and household products industries.

Vi-Jon

Vi-Jon is a provider of private brand dry goods bath and personal care products, including Epsom salts, sold through a network of brokers and other sales agents.  Vi-Jon also owns a small portfolio of real property located in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area.  You can learn more about Vi-Jon by accessing its website at www.vijon.com.

The new structure is effective immediately, and the leadership teams are already in place.

About Emprise Group, Inc.

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Emprise Group, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company that focuses on owning and investing in a diverse group of middle-market businesses.  Emprise Group enables its operating companies to leverage their competencies and industry knowledge to accelerate growth and create value for its employee-owners.  For more information about Emprise Group, visit www.emprisegroup.com.

About Vivos Holdings, LLC

Vivos Holdings, LLC is a consumer packaged goods holding company focused on providing household and personal care products to retail and industrial customers and consumers.  Its businesses include Consumer Product Partners, one of the largest manufacturers of private brand liquid-fill household and personal care products; UpLift Brands, a branded health, beauty, and personal care company; and INSPR Labs, a provider of analytical and laboratory services.  For more information about Vivos Holdings, visit www.vivosholdings.com.

Contact:

Greg Billhartz
gbillhartz@emprisegroup.com
(314) 733-2105

Alice Clark
aclark@emprisegroup.com
(314) 733-2144