Acosta Group Finalizes Acquisition of CROSSMARK and Product Connections
Acosta Group, which announced in May its intention to acquire CROSSMARK and Product Connections from WIS International, has finalized that deal. Those businesses will remain separate agency brands within the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company.
Over the past year and a half, Acosta Group has reshaped its operations, combining its omnichannel retail, marketing and foodservice agencies under a unified umbrella. The acquisitions of CROSSMARK and Product Connections – and before that, Premium Retail Services – are another step in the organization’s evolution as an end-to-end sales and marketing agency collective that works with both emerging and well-established brands. As of this month, Acosta Group encompasses a team of 60,000 associates serving more than 3,000 clients.
According to Acosta, the enhanced structure comprised of separate specialized agencies will offer clients differentiated sales services, retail solutions and marketing offerings to meet the demands of an ever-evolving marketplace. For example, the addition of CROSSMARK will extend the company’s reach in grocery, club, value, convenience, HBC and drug channels, while the Product Connections business will amplify Acosta Group’s demonstration and sampling services.
[RELATED: Upshop Scales Up to Solve Retailers’ Challenges Globally]
Acosta Group’s other brands include its namesake Acosta, ActionLink, CORE Foodservice and Mosaic. “We are thrilled to welcome CROSSMARK and Product Connections to our industry-leading collective,” said Brian Wynne, Acosta Group’s president and CEO. “This acquisition strengthens our talent and expands our solutions, further enhancing our ability to drive profitable growth for brands and retailers by connecting them with consumers wherever they shop. On behalf of everyone at Acosta Group, we look forward to quickly engaging with the associates, clients, and customers of CROSSMARK and Product Connections to plan our future together.”
Meanwhile, Dallas-based WIS International will continue to invest in its core inventory verification services, along with store setup, remodels and space mapping services. Last month, WIS International introduced a new inventory counting platform, FlexCount. The self-scan inventory auditing solution is powered by AI and machine learning components.
