【South Korea】CelleLab to Enter 250 Costco Stores in the US Simultaneously

FugenBio’s bio-skincare brand CelleLab will enter approximately 250 Costco stores across the United States this November, targeting the premium market for consumers aged 40 and above. The strategy is to expand its local distribution network starting with Costco.

FugenBio announced on the 21st that its bio-skincare brand CelleLab will simultaneously enter about 250 Costco stores nationwide in the US this November. While foreign brands typically enter US Costco through online malls or test stores before expanding sales regions, CelleLab will bypass this process and enter all national stores at once.

CelleLab plans to target the US market with its flagship product, ‘Biogenic Essence.’ As of the first half of this year, this product has achieved cumulative sales of 8 million bottles and cumulative revenue of 200 billion KRW.

The company intends to use Costco as a strategic base for entering the US market. Notably, it highlights the overlap between Costco’s core customer base—women in their 40s and 50s—and CelleLab’s primary consumer demographic. According to the company, approximately 90% of CelleLab’s customers are aged 40 or older, and the repurchase rate for its flagship product stands at 52%.

CelleLab offers skincare products based on the ‘CLEPS Biosynthesis’ platform developed by FugenBio. The company stated that the efficacy of this technology has been published in the international academic journal Cosmetics.

Starting next year, CelleLab plans to expand its distribution channels to department stores, premium retailers, aesthetic clinics, medical spas, and dermatology clinics, while also increasing local PR, digital marketing, and influencer collaborations.

Earlier, CelleLab participated in the recently held North American beauty expo ‘Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas,’ where it discussed strategies for entering premium distribution channels with local buyers.