Birchbox, a US-based beauty product subscription service provider backed by mass media company Comcast, has entered talks with several retailers about a possible acquisition, Recode reported on Wednesday.
Walmart is the only retailer that was named in the report. Birchbox’s co-founder and chief executive Katia Beauchamp is said to be talking to Walmart’s e-commerce chief Marc Lore, though neither party has confirmed the news.
Founded in 2010, Birchbox enables consumers to receive a personalised package with samples of five beauty products, such as haircare and make up, for a monthly fee of $10. Customers can also buy full-sized versions on Birchbox’s website if they like a particular product.
The acquisition reports follow two rounds of layoffs in 2016, after Birchbox was unable to secure the funding it sought and had to rely instead on $15m in convertible debt financing from unnamed existing investors in August.
Birchbox has raised more than $87m in equity and debt, on top of previously undisclosed venture debt in 2015 that will mature next year, sources told Recode. The company has reportedly received offers to restructure that debt, which may put off a sale.
Comcast Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of Comcast, participated in Birchbox’s $60m series B round in 2014, which was led by Viking Global Investors.
The series B round also featured First Round Capital, Accel Partners, Aspect Partners, Glynn Capital, Consigliere Brand Capital, Slow Ventures, Red Swan Ventures, TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC and angel investor Sam Lessin.
Accel previously led the company’s $10.5m series A round in 2011, with participation from First Round Capital, Harrison Metal, Forerunner Ventures, Lerer Ventures, Stanford University Endowment, Consigliere and assorted angel investors.
First Round Capital and Accel Partners had co-led a $1.4m seed round in 2010, with the support of several private investors.