Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Cellap Lab, the bio-cosmetics brand under Pugenbio, is set to launch in approximately 250 Costco locations across the U.S. this November, marking a significant expansion into the premium skincare market. The company bypassed a phased rollout, securing direct entry into all stores—a move attributed to its competitive edge.
Healthcare company Pugenbio’s bio-cosmetics brand Cellap Lab is targeting the U.S. premium skincare market. According to industry sources on the 21st, Cellap Lab will simultaneously enter approximately 250 Costco stores across the United States in November.
Cellap Lab secured entry into all Costco U.S. stores without going through online malls or a small number of stores first. The company explained that this is a result of its competitiveness being recognized in the domestic market.
Cellap Lab’s flagship product, Biogenic Essence, surpassed cumulative sales of 8 million bottles and cumulative revenue of 200 billion KRW in the first half of this year.
Cellap Lab believes that its main customer base in Korea—women in their 40s and 50s—aligns with Costco’s core customer demographic, raising expectations for success. In Korea, 90% of Cellap Lab’s customers are women in their 40s, and the repurchase rate exceeds 50%.
Based on its Costco sales performance, Cellap Lab plans to launch nationwide brand marketing in the U.S. starting next year. Unlike existing K-beauty brands targeting younger consumers, Cellap Lab focuses on high-income middle-aged and older consumers aged 40 and above as its core customer base, targeting premium channels such as department stores, premium retailers, aesthetic clinics, medical spas, and dermatology hospitals.
Prior to entering Costco, Cellap Lab participated in the recent North America’s largest beauty expo, ‘Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas,’ to discuss entry strategies with local buyers and distribution channels.