MELBOURNE, 5th December 2017: Australia’s ecommerce leaders, Catch Group and Lux Group, today announced the completion of a series of strategic transactions that will result in the creation of separate, pure-play travel, shopping and local ecommerce businesses. With a combined estimated turnover of over $600 million across all businesses, the deal represents  Australia’s largest home grown ecommerce transaction allowing both companies to operate with the brands that cater to their strengths and offering Australian customers better choice and value.

The deal includes a series of individual transactions, including:

• Travel acquisition: Lux Group, which owns Luxury Escapes, acquiring Catch Group’s travel businesses, which include BonVoyage and Scoopon Travel.

• Product acquisition: Catch Group’s acquisition of Lux Group’s designer brand product businesses, which include Brands Exclusive and TheHome, to sit alongside existing product platforms Catch.com.au, GroceryRun, Mumgo and Pumpkin Patch

• Local experience joint venture: Merger of Catch Group and Lux Group’s local experience businesses into an independently operated joint venture, which will include businesses such as Scoopon, Cudo, LivingSocial, DEALS.com.au and New Zealand-based TreatMe. Both Lux Group and Catch Group will provide exclusive product and travel to the local experience joint venture, with 50/50 ownership.

Following the transactions, Lux Group will become a pure travel business, with a well-rounded offering headlined by market leader, Luxury Escapes, complemented by newly acquired BonVoyage and Scoopon Travel.

Catch Group will become a pure-play ecommerce business focused on a diversified product range, combining the market leading Catch.com.au, with Brands Exclusive and TheHome.

As part of the transactions, Catch Group founders, Gabby and Hezi Leibovich, will become 20% shareholders in the Lux Group, which was founded by Adam Schwab and Jeremy Same.

Lux Group Managing Director Adam Schwab commented: “We are thrilled to have the BonVoyage and Scoopon Travel businesses join Luxury Escapes. This transformative transaction will allow Lux Group to establish a focussed and scaled Travel ecommerce business with over A$300m of pro forma turnover as we continue to deliver the world’s very best travel packages to consumers across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

“We are also excited to welcome Gabby and Hezi as new shareholders in Lux Group, and look forward to working productively together as we drive growth through our newly formed Local business which brings together iconic Australian ecommerce brands like Scoopon, Cudo and Living Social.”

Catch Group co-founder Gabby Leibovich commented: “This deal makes a lot of sense for the Catch Group. Our strength is in sourcing products and we have mastered the logistics of ecommerce. We are excited to be able to offer our products and expertise to over a million new customers of BrandsExclusive, TheHome, Cudo and LivingSocial. This addition will strengthen our buying power and our brand in Australia, which means even better deals for Aussie consumers.

“With Catch Group’s travel brands on track to turn over more than $50 million this year, and product brands at Lux Group heading towards $60 million in turnover, we are very excited to partner with Lux and to be able to build on our respective strengths together to continue to grow and dominate Australia’s ecommerce landscape.”

As all conditions have been satisfied, the transactions have today reached financial close.

Lux is advised by Macquarie Capital and Clarendons Lawyers. Catch Group was advised by Intrinsic Partners as financial adviser and SBA law as legal adviser.