News

Charterhouse Group Purchases Amerifit Nutrition, Inc.
Establishes Platform for Acquisitions in the Natural Wellness Category

New York, NY, April 22, 2005

Charterhouse Group, a New York-based private equity firm that has been actively investing in businesses and backing entrepreneurs since 1973, announced that it has recently acquired Amerifit Nutrition, Inc., a leading marketer of nutritional supplements and wellness related products, including ESTROVEN®, the premier all natural nutritional supplement focused on relieving the symptoms of menopause.

The transaction is the result of a targeted search led by Charterhouse Entrepreneur Cyrill Siewert to find a platform for acquisitions in the $63 billion natural wellness category. Amerifit, comprised of a range of branded product lines, will target other leading nutritional supplement and natural personal care brands that focus primarily on addressing conditions of aging. Mr. Siewert has joined Amerifit as CEO.

The transaction is consistent with Charterhouse's strategy of sourcing investment ideas and opportunities through its entrepreneur relationships and creating value through buy-and-build strategies. It is also representative of Charterhouse's focus on making investments in consumer products businesses that are oriented towards healthy living and wellness.

Amerifit is a leading developer, marketer and distributor of a variety of branded, natural, non-prescription products designed to meet specific consumer health needs. Amerifit's key product line, ESTROVEN®, is the leading brand of natural non-prescription products addressing women's wellness, including menopause. Other key product lines include VITABALL®, a leading children's vitamin product, SOOTHERBS™, an all natural cough cold remedy, and FLEX ABLE®, a line of joint health products.

Mr. Siewert said, "I believe there is a substantial opportunity to bring leading brands in the natural wellness category under a common infrastructure to free up resources in order to aggressively invest and build brands. The Company will focus on continuing to build upon its product selections and its sales and marketing excellence." Mr. Siewert was formerly the President of Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, a Division of the Colgate Palmolive Company.

Joe Rhodes, Charterhouse Partner, stated, "We view Amerifit as an ideal platform and our objective is to build a major player in the natural wellness category. Amerifit has a very high quality, seasoned management team and we are very excited to be partnering with this group as we take this company into its next chapter of growth."

About Charterhouse Group
Charterhouse Group, Inc. is a private equity firm with three decades of experience in building leading middle-market companies. Established in 1973, Charterhouse currently manages in excess of $1.4 billion in equity through several limited partnerships. Since its inception, Charterhouse has completed investments in over 85 platform companies with a focus in the business services, healthcare services and consumer products sectors. For more information, please visit www.charterhousegroup.com.

Contacts:

Charterhouse Group:
David G. Hoffman, Partner - 212-584-3234
Joe Rhodes, Partner - 212-584-3227