The German brand has been selling its products in China via cross-border e-commerce, primarily focusing on collagen supplements.
One of its bestsellers is Caviar Collagen Ruby Elixir - a liquid ampoule containing fish collagen peptide and functional ingredients such as riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and vitamin C.
To pursue further growth, the company plans to expand its offerings beyond its flagship collagen products.
One of its strategies is adding anti-ageing benefits, such as cellular rejuvenation to its beauty-from-within products, Dr. Steffen Wegener, managing director and lead scientist at HECH, told NutraIngredients.
“Beauty-from-within is a strong growing segment in the China market. Traditionally, we have a strong focus on collagen and we aim to offer a broader product range addressing other aspects for a beautiful complexion,” he said.
Key consumers
Currently, the brand’s key consumers in China are women between 35 and 55 who have the purchasing power to spend on premium products.
On Tmall Global for example, a box containing 12 ampoules of Cavier Collagen Ruby Elixier Advanced launched last year, is priced at 1,280 yuan (US$178).
“In general, women would start to think about beauty care at around 25 years old onwards and would search for more advanced products from 35 onwards, which is why most consumers of our advanced products are between 35 and 55.”
He believes that adding anti-aging benefits could help attract a wider segment of consumers.
“We are currently also developing products that combine those beauty aspects with longevity focused aspects to access a broader customer base, as well as an older customer base, even beyond the age of 50 or over 60 perhaps.”
Aside from cellular health, ingredients for supporting stress management are also other candidates for its new product innovation.
“The state of the mental resilience strongly influences health and beauty, and those are all the other advanced aspects that we are combining with the more classic beauty approach.”
In fact, the company has already launched a couple of products targeted at needs beyond beauty.
Its NADH & Saffron Bioactives Emerald Elixier is one such example.
Said to enhance cellular function, optimize energy metabolism and support skin and connective tissue health, the product was also the winner of Beauty-from-Within Product of the Year in this year’s NutraIngredients Awards.
“Medical range” underway
Another plan is to develop products containing higher potency ingredients for distribution in cosmetic clinics.
“We are collaborating with doctors and we are also developing a medical beauty range. This is not a medical product range, but dietary supplements for advanced and experienced users.”
He explained that these are products that could serve as “safer alternatives” to cosmetics procedures.
As such, he said that the target markets would also include Dubai and Saudi Arabia, where cosmetic procedures have been on the rise.
“Beauty surgeries can be quite a drastic treatment for the body, and so people are looking for ways that have less side effects to support beauty.
“We are trying to create a medical beauty range, addressing specific needs that require even more powerful and enriching products in addition to the current range that we have. This would be something new,” he said.
HECH launches a new collection of products each year focusing on different aspects.
The next set of new products is expected to be launched in end September or early October this year.
Asia expansion
Aside from China, Japan, South Korea and South East Asia are the other markets of interest to HECH, as they are seen as equally advanced markets.
“One of our main goals is to be successful not only in China but also in Japan and in South Korea, because they are also very advanced future markets,” said Dr. Wegener.
Since its products do not contain pork, the company is also interested in obtaining halal certifications for entering the Malaysian and Indonesian markets.
