Already a favorite among the $20 adaptogenic drink and shake wellness set, erewhon is ramping up its beauty offering.
With more than 150 beauty brands in stock, the Los Angeles-based upscale supermarket chain is bringing more visibility to the category as it shows strength in sales. On December 1, Erewhon introduced its first beauty brand partner end-cap display with rechargeable body care startup. Uni, which launched at retail the same day. While the retailer’s shelf space has long been a coveted launching pad for food, drink and wellness supplement brands, such as Bella Hadid’s Kiin Euphorics beverage brand, it is increasingly positioning itself as a choice for beauty brands aiming for rich health and an eco-minded. customer base
Beauty products “do very well” at Erewhon, said Maren Giuliano, the retailer’s vice president of health and wellness, who runs both its supplements and adjacent beauty section. “It is an area that we want to continue developing, because the customers are there.”
When Giuliano joined Erewhon a year and a half ago, one of his main goals was to “expand further, on the beauty side,” he said. His selection is “heavier on supplements” for now.
“[Beauty] I was very small when I started, but [Erewhon] is starting to experiment with bringing in brands that are traditionally only in the beauty channel,” she said.
According to Uni founder Alexandra Keating, Erewhon will benefit the brand with visibility among a relevant clientele and the cachet of being associated with the retailer. Uni declined to disclose sales figures.
“Erewhon, especially for Los Angeles, is one of the few stores where people actually walk through,” Keating said. “The community is just amazing.”
Described last year by The New York Times as “The hottest hangout in Los Angeles”, Erewhon has garnered interest from paparazzi-captured celebrity grocery shopping trips, viral smoothie collaborations, and merchandising that has been seen on Kendall Jenner and Sophie Turner. During the pandemic, the era of grocery store outdoor cafe seating became a prominent influencer hangout as non-essential bars and restaurants closed.
“It’s really been able to infiltrate the culture,” Keating said.
Founded in 1966 in Boston as a pioneer of the natural foods scene in the United States, Erewhon is now unique to Los Angeles with eight locations throughout the city. Sine was acquired in 2011 by Tony and Josephine Antoci, the retailer has evolved its brand from crisp to chic as celebrities and influencers have flooded in.
Adding to the fashion factor, a spot on the shelf at Erewhon is a “seal of approval,” Keating said, as the retailer is “a very reliable source.”
To find beauty brands that fit her image, Erewhon’s brand partnerships team “is constantly looking for and tracking trends,” with a focus on DTC brands that have yet to enter retail partnerships, Giuliano said. “We’re not necessarily looking for something specific, but we know it when we see it.”
The retailer’s main beauty categories are body care, hair care, skin care and beauty supplements, as well as selling some fragrances. Among its best-selling brands are Osea, Agent Nateur, Moon Juice, and Salt & Stone. Its composition was discontinued during the pandemic due to limits on product testers, and the retailer has no immediate plans to bring it back.
Beyond stocking brands on its shelves, it also launches marketing partnerships. Summer Fridays founder Marianna Hewitt, for example, launched a viral smoothie partnership with the brand that referenced its skincare label, while Kourtney Kardashian’s wellness platform Poosh also did a collaboration. of Erewhon shakes.
wellness, clean Ingredients and sustainability are the main factors for product selection. While supermarket-adjacent personal care items like natural deodorants are top sellers, typical beauty retailer favorites like face serums are also among the top categories.
For beauty brands that sell at a premium price, product presentation must take style into account. Giuliano, a Whole Foods alumnus, said that beauty needs to be “presented in a certain way” to appeal to Erewhon consumers, since “it’s still a grocery store.”
Customers can purchase refillable bottles of Uni’s products, including its shampoo, conditioner and body wash, in the store. When they’re empty, they can mail the bottles to Uni and order refills through their subscription program. The retailer and brand strategically chose not to provide in-store refills, which have caught on at other retailers.
“Large gallon refills where people pump the shampoo into their reusable bottle are a disaster,” Giuliano said. “It is a great intention, but it is not ideal [at Erewhon]. … It has to look good.”
Source: news.google.com