Bear Creek Sold for $260 Million

(Direct Newsline) Japan’s Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. will sell cataloger Bear Creek Corp. to investment fund Wasserstein & Co. for $260 million, according to news reports.

The Medford. OR-based mailer is the largest direct marketer of fruits and food gifts in the U.S. through its Harry and David subsidiary. It also operates mail order nursery business Jackson & Perkins.

Yamanouchi is also selling its three nutritional and household products direct marketing operations –Shaklee Corp and Inobys in the U.S. and Shaklee Japan KK – to a partnership formed by two U.S. investment funds for $310 million.