Augustinus Bader accelerates expansion in China to diversify markets
"I believe there are three ingredients needed for a company to succeed: first, a product or story that adds a valuable narrative within the market; hard work and an ambitious vision; and luck, lots of luck. Things have to work at the right time, whether it is an investment or a meeting. These three factors are all necessary. If one is missing, the whole cannot work. Perhaps once the system is built, the product and hard work can suffice. Perhaps. But all three are needed in the beginning. I am very aware that if I were asked to do it all over again, I might not be able to do it. The history of a company is in a way a life story, full of unexpected developments. But certainly the skincare industry is so competitive and so crowded that having a voice in it is a privilege. It is important to maintain this awareness and not lose touch with reality'. Charles Rosier, ceo of Augustinus Bader, speaks with sincerity and determination about the developments of the luxury skincare brand founded in 2018 together with Professor Augustinus Bader - an expert in regenerative medicine - and which, four years after its launch, has achieved unicorn status, a term that in finance indicates an unlisted private startup that exceeds a billion dollars in valuation.
"In 2025 we achieved global net sales growth of 25 per cent, to EUR 155 million, with retail sales of around EUR 250 million,' Rosier continues. 'We managed to achieve our targets despite not always favourable circumstances. For example, last year in the US, which is our largest market with a 60% share, we had to sustain the crisis of two of our most important retailers, Saks and Neiman Marcus. However, our brand, our product, our history and the power of word of mouth have allowed us to continue to grow and gain market share. Fifty per cent of our e-commerce customers are enrolled in a membership programme with automatic recurring purchases, which is a sign of the strength of our brand.
Another focus of the company is expansion abroad. "We have opened up new territories," adds the CEO. "We are growing a lot in China, which rose almost 100% last year and in the first months of 2026 will be between +52% and +56%. The US was our first market. Europe came two to three years later, followed by the Middle East. We have solid growth in France, Italia, Germany, Spain and Scandinavia. We are very happy with the performance in Emea.Our aim, however, is to achieve a greater balance between the regions so as not to depend on one, given what happened last year with the Saks and Neiman Marcus crisis, when some of the expected growth in the US suddenly disappeared. Looking at the large groups, this is the prevailing model. If in the past the distribution of our business was 60-65% US, 25% UK and Europe, 10-15% Apac, in the next three years we expect the shares to shift to 40% North America, 30% Emea and UK and 30% Apac, including China'.
Speaking of foreign, travel retail is also a very attractive business segment for the brand, with a 60% increase in 2025 against +25% in global net sales. "We have exceptional traffic and a very important presence at Heathrow Terminal 5. Our corner is next to that of Victoria Beckham Beauty, with whom we collaborate. Singapore is also doing incredibly well, as is Dubai,' the CEO specifies. 'On travel retail we have a very strong team. Despite the post-pandemic changes, this channel remains a healthy and strategic segment. Our products require a certain level of spending, so if you can buy them at a lower price thanks to tax free, it becomes a very attractive opportunity for a consumer'.
Not forgetting that research is at the heart of it all: 'Professor Bader's contribution was crucial in the development of Tfc, our proprietary technology. Some of the team members who contributed to the development were PhD students with him 20 years ago and helped collaborate on stem cell research. One of them, a co-creator of this technology, also has a PhD in biochemistry, so we are talking about a very unique level of expertise. We continue to invest in clinical trials to document the efficacy of Tfc. We live in a world where customers want to understand the value of what they buy, of their investment. We, unlike many products on the market, have a patented technology. This is our main point of differentiation and this is the reason why consumers should choose Augustinus Bader'.
