Spa brand endota taps into green beauty and self-care trend for Canada and New Zealand expansion

The firm recently launched into the two regions in December 2020 as part of its goal to expand its presence internationally.

The brand is available through Spa Magnolia and select day spas in Canada, where a local spa distribution is a key focus for the firm.

In New Zealand, the products will be available in-store and online channels. including Smith & Caughey’s and select Life Pharmacy stores.

CEO Melanie Gleeson told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that consumers in Canada and New Zealand were not too dissimilar from the Australian consumers in that they have an appreciation for wellness, with skin care playing a particularly significant role.

The firm also aims to tap into the demand for environmentally friendly products, a trend that has evolved from the natural and clean beauty movements.

“In addition to clean and certified organic ingredients, the growing importance of environmentally responsible packaging is a key drawcard in both markets,”​ said Gleeson.

In response to this, the firm is now using packaging made from recycled materials in its facial range.

The packaging is made using renewable resources, can be recycled post-use, and transported using recyclable fillers and shippers.

Gleeson said the firm would continue working to improve the sustainability of its products as one of its goals for 2021.

“We are continuing to keep sustainability at the heart of everything we do in our product packaging and ingredients,”​ said Gleeson.

With the pandemic, the company has also observed a shift in consumer behaviour, such as the need to bring the ‘spa experience’ into the comfort of their homes, especially when cities go under lockdown.

Gleeson believes this trend will not disappear even if the pandemic subsidises. Instead, she believes it has kickstarted a new movement in wellness.

“COVID-19 has given us time to reflect on what is important in life, how we choose to live, and what we want to achieve.  A journey of a life well-lived begins with wellness, and we can certainly expect self-care and at home spa-like experiences to continue into the new year, and for decades to come.”​

She noted that self-care and wellness would evolve to demand more personalisation from brands.

“The importance of personalised self-care and recognising that women are unique means care is provided to guide endota customers with products and treatments best suited to them.”​

2021 expansion

Gleeson said that the struggles of the COVID-19 period has stressed the importance of being flexible in terms of its distribution.

“As we’ve seen over the 2020 COVID-19 period, the ability to be agile and pivot ensures us the best chance of meeting the needs of our wonderful clientele. We have the resources to support our distributors with both online and offline distribution channels. We can also provide the training and education to ensure our spa treatments and protocols are delivered consistently to the highest standards.”​

Moving forward, the firm will continue to reinforce its position in the markets it has recently expanded into, such as Thailand, while exploring new territory, said Gleeson.

“From an international expansion perspective, endota will focus on working with our recently appointed distributors, to provide them with the resources they need. We are also exploring expansion into new markets and perhaps not the conventional export markets.”​