K-Beauty Tech Opens Sales Opportunities in Ukraine

A’s website

A – Medicube

Online meeting between A and the Ukrainian buyer

In September 2023, KITA was contacted by a Ukrainian buyer looking for a Korean manufacturer of cosmetics and beauty devices. The matching manager listed many Korean companies for the buyer, based on its needs, and the buyer expressed interest in having an online meeting with A.

Founded in 2014, A is a beauty tech company that manufactures cosmetics and functional foods. It has seven brands including Medicube, AGE-R, Aprilskin, NERDY, Forment, Glam.D Bio, and Photogray. A has expanded its product lineup to include at-home beauty devices that integrate beauty and technology in order to cater to consumer needs that existing cosmetic products and professional skincare fail to meet. In addition, it has established ADC, a beauty device R&D center, and its production center, the APR Factory, in an effort to internalize the value chain and thereby enhance its competitiveness.

The buyer, a distributor with the exclusive right to import and distribute Korean cosmetics brands in Ukraine, imports the skincare, haircare and makeup products of diverse Korean brands—including Benton, Needly, Dr.Ceuracle, Dr.FORHAIR, Unove, Reyena16, and Doctors—and supplies them to online and offline stores and pharmacies across Ukraine. The buyer was looking for new Korean beauty brands to augment its new product line. Previously, it had imported mainly cosmetics products, but it expressed an interest in importing beauty devices and in diversifying its product lineup.

Following the meeting, the buyer placed the first sample order worth USD 264.43 in October 2023. After confirming the marketability of the Korean products through sample tests and local marketing campaigns, the buyer signed a contract amounting to USD 26,172 in March 2024. Although it has been importing beauty products for years, its produce lineup has never included beauty devices. As such, the beauty devices had to go through much red tape including certification, but the two parties maintained close and effective communication and thus were able to move quickly through to the conclusion of the contract.

A thanked the matching manager for arranging a meeting with the buyer and creating a business opportunity for it. The matching manager will continue helping A to expand its overseas business and find overseas buyers.