Most brands take time to attract investors but Straand, Australia’s first microbiome-focused haircare brand, has inked a deal with one of the world’s most active beauty investment players within its first six months.
The vegan, natural and cruelty-free brand debuted last July with a quartet of prebiotic scalp balancing SKUs – The Crown Cleanse, The Crown Fix serum, The Head Doctor conditioning treatment and The Miracle Worker scrub – and a range of accessories such as the Microfibre Hair Towel and the Exfoliating Scalp Brush.
Straand has scored a US$2 million investment from Unilever Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of consumer goods giant Unilever. Founded in 2002, the company focuses on beauty and wellness brands and commerce-enabling technologies. Current investments include another high-flying Australian brand, Frank Body, Sachajuan, Beauty Bakerie, Trinny London and Kopari.
There’s plenty of corporate grunt behind Straand to explain its rapid rise. The brand’s co-founders include Sarah Hamilton, the co-founder of Sand & Sky skincare, CEO Jeremy Hunt, an expert in cross-border trade with China, Tim Brown, a specialist in strategy and execution in the Chinese market, Nick Morris, a veteran of local natural beauty manufacturing, and Meagan Pate, a brand strategist who has worked for M.A.C Cosmetics and Bauer Media.
Straand has major plans in the immediate future and is priming to enter the US market through its own DTC website and Amazon. Southeast Asia will follow in quick succession and the brand is planning to debut in Europe in April.
In Australia, Straand is available through its own dedicated website – www.straand.com.au – and launched on Adore Beauty last October.
The investment in Straand will help pave the way for the brand’s expansion in the US, UK, Europe and China, said Rachel Harris, Partner at Unilever Ventures.
“Dandruff and broader scalp concerns are a significant and much maligned condition globally. There has been limited innovation in the scalp health category for many years and it is ripe for disruption. Straand stood out with its microbiome-focused formulations, bold branding, youthful appeal and affordable positioning.”
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