David Cape, president of the family group Marcelle, is the honorary president of the 2022 Business Transfer Awards!
The Marcelle Group’s history highlights the power of entrepreneurship and cosmetic innovation through science. Its roots go back to 1874 in Chicago when Charles Waugh Beggs created the Marcelle product line, convinced that science and beauty are natural allies. Under the CW Beggs and Sons brand, balms, glosses, talcum powder and other cosmetic products were also developed and distributed in pharmacies. Then in 1933, the entire product line was purchased by Dr. Phil Blazer. This allergist wished to continue the founder’s mission and created a pioneering range of hypoallergenic products. The skin care products developed by Dr. Blazer are still manufactured today. In 1957, the Marcelle line was sold to Borden Inc. which specialized in the manufacture and marketing of all kinds of consumer goods. The American giant worked for 15 years on the brand image and packaging of the line. Although Victor Cape, a Montreal pharmacist, became the Canadian distributor of Marcelle products in 1949, it wasn’t until 1973 that he and his son Michael Cape purchased the worldwide distribution and manufacturing rights to the products. Over the past 50 years, the Cape family has created a group that brings together several product lines and brands, including Marcelle, Lise Watier, Annabelle and CW Beggs and Sons, a men’s line launched in 2016 recalling the group’s roots. Today, the Marcelle Group employs 350 people who manufacture 8 million products for men and women each year in their Canadian facilities that are distributed in over 3,500 stores across Canada. Over the years, their product lines have been shaped by several entrepreneurs and family business owners who share a common vision of putting science at the service of beauty.
Moreover, David Cape, the 3rd generation and current CEO of Groupe Marcelle, will be the honorary president of the Business Transfer Awards on June 8, 2022. This contest, organized by PwC Canada, Familles en affaires HEC Montréal and their partners, celebrates the success of private Quebec companies that have successfully completed their succession process, while ensuring their sustainability and growth. Are you inspired by entrepreneurship and the Cape family’s story? A wide range of explanations and tools to promote entrepreneurship are available on the website From Success to Succession!
Read the article: ‘The new face of Groupe Marcelle Cosmetics’
