Estee Lauder Backs British Fragrance Brand 💰

Author

CPG WIRE
March 28, 2023

GM and Happy Tuesday, folks. Here’s what we’re covering this morning:

  • Estee Lauder invests in Vyrao 💰

  • Pineapple Collaborative acquired 🍍

  • E.l.f. collabs with American Eagle 💄

  • Wonderbelly heads to Target 🎯

  • New PB&J Spread from Eleven Madison 🥪

The Big Story 📰

The Estee Lauder Companies invested in British fragrance brand Vyrao via its early-stage investment and incubation arm, New Incubation Ventures.

Founded in 2021 by Yasmin Sewell, a former VP of Creative at Farfetch, Vyrao has quickly established itself as a player in the fragrance space by combining energetic healing with master perfumery. In short, Vyrao’s fragrances are functional and purportedly have mood-boosting benefits. They place a Herkimer diamond — an energetically charged quartz crystal — into every bottle.

Last year, for example, Vyrao launched The Sixth, a fragrance that promises to reduce stress. They also have a fragrance for Liberation & Sensuality, Free 00; one for Self Love, Georgette; and another for Transformation & Illumination, I Am Verdant.

To develop the products Sewell enlisted a Master Perfumer, Lyn Harris, and an Energy Healer, Louise Mita.

It’s obviously easy to be dubious of their claims, but they’ve very quickly developed a cult following and become a threat in the hyper-competitive fragrance space.

They’ve accomplished enough to warrant the attention of The Estee Lauder Companies.

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • New York-based brand management firm Bluestar Alliance has acquired Dutch fashion brand Scotch & Soda. Scotch & Soda was founded in Amsterdam in 1985 and filed for bankruptcy last week. Bluestar Alliance owns a number of apparel brands including Hurley, Bebe, and Tahari. Retail Dive

  • UK-based James White Drinks — a purveyor of fruit and vegetable juices — has acquired healthy beverage brand BumbleZest. BumbleZest sells wellness shots, tonics, and sparkling waters. Just Drinks

  • Canadian tea brand DAVIDsTEA is delisting from the NASDAQ and will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange. GlobeNewswire

  • Per The Snaxshot, pantry essentials brand Pineapple Collaborative was acquired by Fresh N Lean. Pineapple Collaborative was founded by Ariel Pasternak and Atara Bernstein in 2015. Twitter

Fundraising

  • Penelope Bourbon partnered with Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC) to use the value of its existing barrels to access capital. Fred Minnick

  • As mentioned above, The Estee Lauder Companies invested in British fragrance brand Vyrao. WWD

What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Haircare unicorn Olaplex is taking its proprietary bond-building technology below the hairline with its latest product launch — LashBond Building Serum. The product retails for $68. WWD

  • E.l.f. Cosmetics and American Eagle, two of the hottest GenZ brands, collaborated on a new makeup and skincare collection. Business Wire

  • Per Cosmetics Business, cactus beauty products are fast becoming a summer must-have. Cosmetics Business

  • Vitamin and supplement brand Olly launched a line of mood-focused adaptogen products. Olly

  • Rare Beauty, the makeup brand founded by Selena Gomez, introduced Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil in eight shades. Beautiful packaging. Elle

  • Oribe doubles down on ‘skinification’ of scalp care. Glossy

  • Swedish fashion house Acne Studios opened a new store in Miami Design District. Highsnobiety 

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Rapper Styles P collaborated with Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park to launch a premium PB&J spread. Absolutely love the label. Food & Wine

  • Blue Bottle Coffee opened a four-seater studio in Kyoto. Seats are reservation-only and start at $63 per head. Blue Bottle founder James Freeman will be hosting “Coffee Talks” from March 31st until April 3rd. Hypebeast

  • Louisville-based Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. introduced a new High Rye Bourbon. Beautiful label. Access Wire

  • Spearhead Spirits, a premium African spirits company, launched two of their brands — Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka — in the United States. Spearhead Spirits raised $3m last year. BevNET

  • Per VinePair, there’s a Chartreuse shortage and it won’t be ending any time soon. VinePair

Data 🖥️

Distribution News 🚚