‘A leap of faith’: Botanic Pretti5 eyes US, Singapore expansion on the back of global interest in TCM

Founder Dorothy Chau told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that the renewed interest in TCM globally was fuelling the company’s drive to expand internationally after multiple false starts in its first three years.

“We launched in 2020 and those years were a struggle. We kept at it and pushed forward in Hong Kong with social media and little pop-ups. We were encouraged by the very positive feedback. At the same time, people became more curious about natural and herbal remedies,” ​said Chau.

“A new wave is coming. Now that everyone is interested in wellness, it has opened new doors for traditional Chinese medicine in beauty. It’s been a good opportunity for us because people are very interested to learn more about our products and our ingredients.”​

In July, the firm exhibited at trade show Cosmoprof Las Vegas, where it hoped to glean more information about the US market.

“So far, they have been receptive to the brand. They like our ingredients, like snow mushroom, especially when you explain that it’s like vegan hyaluronic acid. Most importantly, they believe in natural remedies and their effectiveness,”​ said Chau.

Moving forward, the firm is committed to investing more marketing dollars into the US market.

“We would like to reach more consumers and get more authentic and genuine feedback on the products,”​ said Chau.

In addition to the US, Botanic Pretti5 is set to expand into South East Asia, starting with Singapore.

“Singapore is like the twin sister of Hong Kong with a similar market. The consumer lifestyles and habits are similar too. For example, it’s urban and a high-stress environment. Unlike the US, there’s already a high understanding and acceptance of TCM,” ​said Chau.

“We have accumulated business and marketing experience in Hong Kong, and we can apply it to Singapore since it also shares similar marketing tools.​

Since its launch, the direct-to-consumer brand has expanded its business in Hong Kong through beauty retailer Sephora.

With a strong foundation in its home market, Chau strongly believes that it is the right time for the brand to seek its fortunes overseas.

“Some people might think it's premature for us to expand at this stage, but I think it’s good to take a leap of faith. And we get to learn more about the market.”​

More brightening products

The brand’s product development is influenced heavily by feedback from its consumers. According to the brand’s polls and surveys, skin brightening was unequivocally the top demand from consumers.

The brand already has a best-selling skin brightening serum, but Chau believes there is an opportunity to develop more products in a similar vein.

She revealed that the company will launch a skin-brightening sheet mask soon to cater to Asian consumers in Hong Kong and Singapore.