Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Family-owned cosmetics firm Ziaja is accelerating its growth strategy, investing over PLN 200 million in production capacity and actively seeking acquisitions in Poland and abroad to outpace the double-digit market expansion.
Company Overview and Growth Ambitions
Family-owned cosmetics company Ziaja wants to grow faster than the cosmetics market, which is currently expanding at a double-digit pace. The company is investing in production capacity, with its investment plan exceeding PLN 200 million (around EUR 46 million). It is also looking for attractive acquisition targets – both in Poland and abroad.
Ziaja was founded in 1989. At the time, pharmacists Zenon and Aleksandra Ziajowie began producing olive cream in their home garage, using an ice cream machine. To this day, the product remains one of the company’s biggest commercial successes.
“Throughout the company’s history, we have received acquisition offers, including some that were highly attractive financially, with valuations reaching levels we could not have imagined before. The offers came from both Polish companies and international players. However, we see no need to sell the business or step away from running it. We have ideas for further growth and want to pursue them,” says Bartosz Ziaja, vice-president of the company.
Financial Performance and Market Challenges
“Profit was slightly lower than a year earlier [in 2024, net profit amounted to PLN 99.79 million (around EUR 23 million) – editor’s note], mainly due to rising costs. This was driven by higher raw material prices, labor costs and elevated inflation. Another important factor was market uncertainty linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ultimately, we want to grow faster than the market. However, 2026 is also proving challenging. The situation is being complicated by new geopolitical tensions that are disrupting supply chains. So far, this has not yet been reflected in retail prices, partly due to government measures such as reductions in fuel excise duty and VAT. However, cost pressures related to raw material prices are increasing and will affect the consumer market. On the one hand, customers are unwilling to accept price increases; on the other, suppliers are forcing them through, making it significantly harder to maintain profitability,” says Bartosz Ziaja.
Omnichannel Sales Strategy
The company is focusing on an omnichannel sales model, covering both traditional retail and non-chain channels, as well as e-commerce.
“The world is moving towards digitalization, and as generational change takes place, the importance of online channels will continue to grow. At the same time, we understand that omnichannel sales is the key concept today, because a presence across all channels is essential for any company that wants to build brand recognition,” says Bartosz Ziaja.
“For now, it is difficult to talk about further expansion in this area. Such decisions are based on market analysis and observations of consumer behavior. As a mass-market manufacturer, we need to be present across multiple sales channels. Our own stores primarily serve a brand-building function. We view them as marketing spaces,” says Bartosz Ziaja.
Polish Cosmetics Market Data
According to YouGov data for 2024–2025, the value of Poland’s cosmetics market stands at PLN 18.5 billion (approximately EUR 4.3 billion). At the same time, nearly half of spending on products in this category is generated through promotional purchases, showing that attractive price offers have become a permanent feature of consumers’ shopping strategies. However, brands continue to play an important role. Fifty-nine percent of Poles pay attention to whether they are buying a manufacturer’s brand or a private-label product, while 45% are willing to pay more for a branded product.
Within the cosmetics basket, the largest value shares belong to face creams (8.7%), shampoos (6.8%), deodorants (6.6%) and perfumes (6.5%). Among the key categories, face creams recorded the strongest growth momentum.
Across the entire FMCG sector, discount retailers maintain the largest market share (44.4%). However, in the cosmetics basket, drugstores dominate, accounting for 50.5% of consumer spending. Discount retailers represent 25.3% of the category, while online retail accounts for 7.4%. The strongest growth in consumer spending was recorded in e-commerce, up 10.1%, and drugstores, up 9.5%. At the same time, hypermarkets saw spending decline by 6.5%.
Product Philosophy and Competitive Landscape
Since the beginning of its operations, Ziaja has focused on producing affordable cosmetics.
“Given both our pharmaceutical background and our approach to our work, we want to serve people – their skin and their bodies. Quality of life, health and wellbeing mean that proper care has become a very important part of everyday life. That is why we offer products at reasonable prices while maintaining high quality standards. They undergo dermatological and clinical testing. We want customers to experience the genuine value of our products, rather than simply the effects of marketing campaigns,” says Bartosz Ziaja.
However, the company faces growing pressure from increasing foreign competition.
One example is K-beauty, or Korean cosmetics, which are already widely available on the market. Companies from China are becoming increasingly active in entering the EU market – not only with basic products and raw materials, but also by offering contract manufacturing services. In the future, they may introduce their own products under their own brands.
