Nature Republic, Accelerating Expansion in Japan's Offline Market... Entering 6,000 Retail Stores Nationwide

Nature Republic products displayed at a Loft store in Japan

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Nature Republic is accelerating its expansion in the Japanese market.

Nature Republic announced on the 23rd that, fueled by strong growth in the Japanese online market, it is strengthening its offline strategy by entering over 6,000 retail stores nationwide, including Japan's top three variety shops and drugstores.

Nature Republic entered the Japanese online market in February last year by officially opening on the e-commerce platform Qoo10. In May of the same year, it expanded to Rakuten, the largest e-commerce platform, to intensify its market penetration. Through product quality and various promotions featuring global model NCT 127, it has received high praise from local consumers, and sales in Japan have been steadily increasing.

The brand's competitiveness has been recognized through multiple awards such as Qoo10's "2020 Best Seller" and Rakuten's "Monthly MVP." During the Qoo10 Mega Sale held last November, sales grew by 500% compared to the same event period the previous year. Due to the explosive increase in orders, a chartered flight was even arranged to ensure smooth delivery of event stock.

Riding this upward trend, Nature Republic is further accelerating its expansion into offline channels in the Japanese market. To this end, it established a local subsidiary in Japan last April and recently completed the entry of its flagship product line, "Greenderma Mild Cica," into over 6,000 stores nationwide, including Japan's top three variety shops?LOFT, PLAZA, and TOKYU HANDS?as well as major drugstores such as Welcia and Tsuruha. The lineup is also expanding to include the "Vitafair C" line.

Nature Republic expects its sales in Japan this year to increase by more than 400% compared to the previous year. Having set a new record last year with sales rising 600% compared to 2019, it has achieved the highest performance for two consecutive years, raising expectations for continued growth driven by offline business expansion.

Nature Republic stated, "Through our offline entry, we expect to strengthen contact points with Japanese consumers and create synergy effects with online channels," adding, "Next year, we plan to further solidify our position as a leading K-beauty brand through Japan-exclusive new products and various local marketing efforts."