{"id":340121,"date":"2026-03-21T03:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T03:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/340121\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T03:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T03:04:09","slug":"essano-global-strategy-vitality-backs-us-tiktok-and-amazon-beauty-push","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/340121\/","title":{"rendered":"Essano global strategy: Vitality backs US TikTok and Amazon beauty push"},"content":{"rendered":"
Vitality Brands director of Essano, Matt Slattery, said while the brand once had a limited presence in the US, this marks its first true, strategic entry into the market.<\/p>\n
Matt Slattery, director of Essano at Vitality Brands, is reinvesting in New Zealand as the brand prepares to expand internationally.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve spent the last two years learning the brand and the DNA of how Essano is made up, because we want to keep that going. The last 12 months have really been about renovating, updating packaging and giving it a refresh for the next step,\u201d Slattery said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just don\u2019t think that New Zealand skincare brands or the beauty industry is making enough noise out there in the world to really compete with the likes of Korean Beauty [K-Beauty], which is thriving at the moment. I know we can compete against the big guys out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The brand\u2019s previous activity in the US included a short-lived Amazon presence and a small retail footprint, rather than a full-scale launch.<\/p>\n
The market is notoriously difficult to enter, but Slattery said the value of New Zealand brands shouldn\u2019t be understated.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Zealand brands have value in the US, and the fact that Essano is high quality allows it to stand against a lot of the US brands and manufacturers over there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat clean, green, efficacious product message is a really strong point of difference. There\u2019s also a couple of brands in our space starting to build a footprint over there, so if we can somewhat join forces that will definitely go a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Vitality\u2019s revenue and profits are private, Slattery confirmed Essano\u2019s US operation would be targeting 5-10% of Vitality\u2019s total revenue within the next three to four years.<\/p>\n
Back in New Zealand, Slattery confirmed manufacturing would not be outsourced, with the company keen to maintain its South Auckland presence. <\/p>\n
Vitality has invested between $200,000 and $300,000 over the past two years for five new tanks for body washes and hair care, as well as new filter lines and cameras, all in an effort to boost its line speed and the business\u2019 scalability.<\/p>\n
Slattery said this would be critical for entering the US, considering the turnaround demands of consumers in the market tend to be higher when compared to New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Matt Slattery says New Zealand brands have value in the US.<\/p>\n
A key part of the business\u2019 refresh will be its underpinning in a digital-first strategy across TikTok Shop and Amazon.<\/p>\n
Slattery explained the brand has to be able to differentiate from its natural association.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing natural is not enough to give you a strong point of difference like it probably did 15-20 years ago, you really need something else. The consumer at the moment is really looking for efficacious products that they know are going to work or improve their skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re competing against thousands and thousands of skincare brands in the US, and you can\u2019t just put yourself in a handful of stores because you\u2019ll never get the airtime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slattery said getting the product directly into the social media feeds of consumers is the best access point for the business, as it can operate the strategy from New Zealand.<\/p>\n
TikTok\u2019s shop platform is only available in the US, so Kiwi and Australian consumers don\u2019t have access to it.<\/p>\n
The platform is growing rapidly, according to Slattery, emulating the success of trends first started in the Chinese market.<\/p>\n
But this doesn\u2019t mean Vitality is ignoring traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, with plans to present Essano to key retailers in the US, including Target, CVS Pharmacies and Walgreens.<\/p>\n
While this launch is slated for the second half of 2026, Slattery is looking to what comes next, sharing his ambitions to repeat the strategy in China and Europe once the US market is established.<\/p>\n
\u201cKiwi consumers should be really proud of creating such a fantastic brand locally. We\u2019re a country that competes on the global scale, and ultimately we\u2019re proud to be a local brand that\u2019s making a big footstep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.<\/p>\n