CREA secures US$25m investment offering solution for beauty brands in SEA

Omnichannel partner for brands, CREA has secured a US$25 million investment from SuperOrdinary, growth partner for beauty brands. With this investment, SuperOrdinary will be taking a minority stake in the Southeast Asia based digital commerce enabler. This strategic partnership will help CREA attract new brands to the region’s digital commerce ecosystem by offering a solutions covering Southeast Asia, China, and the United States. This latest funding takes the total investment in CREA to date to US$38 million. CREA was founded by former Lazada co founders.

With this partnership, consumers in Thailand and Southeast Asia will have an increased choice of global beauty brands to choose from when shopping. Brands will also benefit from easier regional market entry via a single solution to reach consumers. According to CREA, the year 2021 marks a monumental year for eCommerce in Southeast Asia where digital retail grew 85% during the pandemic. Additionally, 80% of all consumers are expected to shop digital by the end of 2021. CREA added that the beauty and personal care industry in the region is expected to grow by more than 5% annually driven by digital commerce penetration, which provides SuperOrdinary with a highly attractive market opportunity

 “Southeast Asia presents a unique opportunity for global brands with young digital-savvy consumers who are increasing their consumption power and avidly engaging with global trends through digital media, said CREA co-founder, Aimone Ripa di Meana. As the region are filled with digital-savvy consumers, it is key to enter the market with digital-first approaches, added Meana. According to her, CREA is uniquely positioned as it has the opportunity to come up with an omnichannel strategy. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to CREA for additional information regarding its stratey for Southeast Asia. 

Similarly, CEO and founder of SuperOrdinary, Julian Reis also agreed that the digital commerce in Southeast Asia is experiencing an unprecedented boom. “We are thrilled to partner with CREA and offer our portfolio of beauty brands a cost-effective, one-stop-shop solution to enter one of the fastest-growing digital consumer markets for beauty and personal care,” Reis added. 

Separately, numerous brands have been seeking funds for expansion plans. Recently, omnichannel womenswear brand Love, Bonito raised US$50 million in its Series C funding, led by global investment firm Primavera Capital Group. Adastria and Ondine Capital participated in the funding as well. The funds will be used to bolster efforts in existing omnichannel markets such as Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. A Love, Bonito spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that it plans to expand its communities in omnichannel markets through its extended category offerings and community outreach, and by strengthening its loyalty program with more relevant brand partnerships and collaborations. It will also look to enhance its technology and data infrastructure to support its growth.

Additionally, SaladStop! group, a healthy food chain in Asia, received SG$12 million in its series B investment which it plans to use to accelerate its digital transformation including its investment in proprietary technologies. The funds will also be funnelled towards its expansion across Asia, enabling it to scale its operations with the addition of four new markets by 2025.  

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