On March 20, the South Korean cosmetics company, which specialises in products for sensitive skin, announced the launch of Derma:B in Costco Japan.
This move aligns with the company’s strategy to diversify sales channels and increase consumer reach.
By the end of this month, Derma:B’s Fresh Moisture Body Lotion will be available in 10 key Costco stores—five in East Japan and five in West Japan—out of the retailer’s 36 locations nationwide.
Additionally, the brand’s best-seller, Daily Moisture Body Lotion, is set to launch in all 36 Costco Japan stores by September.
The brand aims to further expand its product offerings and store presence within Costco in the future.
Neopharm said its growing footprint and success in Japan’s retail landscape helped paved the way for its entry into Costco Japan.
In September 2021, the brand made its debut with Japanese retailer Loft.
The following year, it expanded its footprint with launches with retail company Aeon and drugstore chain Welcia. Aeon is the parent company of Welcia.
In 2023, the brand entered two more drugstore chains Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cosmos.
Altogether, Derma:B is currently available in approximately 8,000 retail doors across Japan.
With its Costco Japan expansion, Derma:B has broadened its customer touchpoints to include the warehouse retail channel.
CosmeticsDesign-Asia previously reported that South Korean cosmetics company Able C&C launched Missha’s Vita C Plus series in Costco Japan.
Able C&C believed that the partnership with Costco Japan would reinforce its competitiveness in the market and positioning with its “excellent quality and reasonable prices”.
RealBarrier offline expansion
In addition, the firm announced Realbarrier’s offline expansion into Hands, a popular Japanese lifestyle retail chain from March 13.
It attributed its launch into Hands to the brand’s success online with e-tailers Rakuten and Qoo10.
The firm said it observed high demand for the brand during Qoo10’s Mega Cosme Land event last year.
Select Realbarrier products will be available in 80 Hands stores. This includes the brand’s signature Extreme Cream in both the original and light formulas.
The launch into Hands is the start of the firm’s offline retail expansion in Japan, said Neopharm.
The company revealed that it is set to launch in 170 Loft stores in Japan within the second quarter of this year.
Furthermore, it is also considering launching into the drugstore and speciality cosmetics retail channel with retailers such as AEON and Rosemary.
