Welsh beauty brand primed for American expansion after landing deal with US retailer

Cardiff-based beauty brand, Mallows Beauty, has landed its first deal in the US, a first step in a wider export strategy aimed at significantly growing its global presence.

The company has signed a contract to supply Urban Outfitters stores in the US with 4000 units across six products thanks to Welsh Government support.

The deal, which will see its products sold in 177 stores, is the firm’s first foray into America as it looks to achieve wider business growth by focusing on driving sales in the region.

Alongside the partnership, Mallows is on the verge of securing a US-wide distributor, which would open it up to thousands of independent retailers across the country. It is similarly eyeing up expansion in Australia and is set to launch its products with leading online retailer, Glam Raider.

Founded by Laura Mallows in 2020, Mallows Beauty is a vegan beauty brand that promotes self-love and acceptance. It has gained a cult following since going viral on TikTok with its brightly packaged pink products such as the ‘Unicorn Shave Butter’ and ‘Pineapple Enzyme Peel Mask’, driving demand for its goods overseas.

Laura Mallows, Founder of Mallows Beauty said: “Our exporting journey has been a whirlwind, playing a significant part in our growth over the last year. International demand for our products has been huge, thanks to TikTok in particular, with people asking where they can buy our products in their countries. It’s opened up a whole new world of customers for us that we’re itching to get our products to.

“The US in particular is an area where we would like to focus our sales drive as we continue to see growing demand for our products there. The new deal with Urban Outfitters, along with  securing a nationwide distributor, will play a vital role in helping us achieve that.”

Mallows Beauty began its exporting journey at the end of 2021 and since then, has seen  turnover boosted by 30%. Its products are now sold in Ireland, Europe, the US and Australia, with exports making up around a third of sales.

The company hopes to double this figure over the next year by expanding its distributor networks across the globe, focusing on growing sales in the US – a  primary target  for the company.

Key to Mallows Beauty’s growth has been support from the Welsh Government, which has provide market research as well as support setting up meetings with suppliers and distributors, including those that the company has confirmed in the US and Australia. Crucially, it has received specialist trading advice, including compliance checks on ingredients to ensure its products meet market regulations in countries overseas.

Laura added: “When we were presented with our first opportunity to export, we were so overwhelmed we actually turned it down as we didn’t know where to begin. We were worried about the different regulations for international markets and the logistical challenges that came with exporting.”

“Skincare and beauty products have an added layer of complexity when it comes to exporting since different countries have different market regulations so support from our export advisors at the Welsh Government has been invaluable, enabling us to adapt our formulas to ensure we meet the requirements of the different markets we’re exporting to, while also opening doors to potential distributors.”