Building Successful Partnerships Between New Brands and Manufacturers
This interview series highlights real brand-launch journeys, from preparation to execution, with the aim of supporting aspiring beauty entrepreneurs. By sharing firsthand experiences, we hope to provide practical insights and actionable strategies for building a successful cosmetics brand.
Could you briefly introduce yourself and the Youth Menu brand?
I am currently running Youth Menu, a new beauty brand. Previously, I founded a skincare brand and successfully sold it in 2023. After the sale, I observed how the beauty market was rapidly changing due to increasingly shortened trend cycles, which left me feeling concerned. This led me to think that an approach that doesn’t chase trends but instead earns consistent support from consumers could be more effective. With this in mind, I decided to create a timeless beauty brand that values longevity over fleeting trends. That brand is Youth Menu.
Youth Menu operates under the slogan 'Awaken Your Inner Youth with Classic Food'. Just as classic foods like Modena balsamic vinegar and Genoa basil are recognized for their value across generations, Youth Menu aims to embody the same timeless value in the beauty industry.
Since you’ve already launched and operated a cosmetic brand before, this launch must have been relatively easier for you. Were there any particular challenges you faced this time?
Even with experience launching multiple products, the process of turning an idea into a concrete plan and then producing it as an actual product always feels daunting. Through my experiences, I’ve learned that insisting on a product being 100% identical to the initial concept is not always the best approach. Instead, maintaining 70-80% consistency with the original idea while leaving room for better innovations is often a wiser strategy. To achieve this, it’s crucial to collaborate with experts in various fields. For this reason, prioritizing the selection of the right manufacturer was my top priority when planning this brand.
I first encountered PLANIT 147 while developing new products for my previous brand. At the time, my brand was still in its early stages, but PLANIT 147 stood out for their extensive experience working with new and emerging brands. They were quick to understand and address the needs and concerns of the brand, which left a lasting impression on me. When considering external teams that could fill the 20-30% of open possibilities, I concluded that PLANIT 147 was the best choice in the beauty industry. In hindsight, it was the right decision.
Could you share some specific tips for successful collaboration with manufacturers?
The most important thing is to clearly define what you expect from the manufacturer and communicate this effectively with their team.
To implement the classic food concept, I needed ingredients that would retain their value over time. I focused on 25-year-aged, Gold Label balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. Balsamic vinegar is rich in polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant, and is made from 100% grape juice, making it a vegan ingredient perfectly aligned with my brand’s vision. However, I faced challenges due to the high cost of 25-year-aged balsamic vinegar and the lack of existing raw materials that utilized it.
I tried contacting raw material suppliers myself but quickly realized the limitations of working as an individual. At this point, PLANIT 147 understood the value of Youth Menu’s brand and directly contacted suppliers. Leveraging Kolmar Korea's extensive network, they successfully secured the key ingredients needed for product development.
Additionally, I would advise new or emerging brands to actively utilize the services provided by manufacturers. New brands often lack experience and resources for product development, relying heavily on preferences of the brand owner or manager. This can lead to mistakes such as falling behind trends or creating concepts disconnected from market demands. To avoid these pitfalls, I fully utilized PLANIT 147’s expertise. I engaged in discussions with specialists from various fields, reviewed the data and materials they provided, and kept an open mind to their suggestions. This process not only greatly aided product planning but also made me feel like I was working with true colleagues as part of a one team.
PLANIT 147 has the infrastructure to support all the elements needed for a brand launch. In my case, I didn’t have a dedicated package designer, so I had to develop the design myself. However, turning the ideas in my head into tangible designs was challenging. PLANIT 147 provided professional designers, a wide range of design references, and support for packaging sourcing, post-processing, labeling, and other production-related tasks.
When speaking with other brand owners, many mention that it’s difficult to find manufacturers offering such diverse services in one place, especially for small brands. Some prefer working with specialized companies for each field, but for projects like cosmetic development, which involve numerous detailed tasks, reducing the number of managing entities is far more efficient and effective.
Could you share Youth Menu’s growth plans for the future?
Currently, we are monitoring market reactions to our newly launched products. Our goal is to establish best-selling items in the U.S. and Japanese markets. In addition to launching beauty products tailored to each market’s characteristics, we plan to expand into health functional foods. For product development and securing international certifications, we look forward to PLANIT 147’s support.
Furthermore, we aim to go beyond simply selling products and focus on sharing Youth Menu’s brand philosophy and values with global consumers. To achieve this, we are strengthening our storytelling through digital marketing and social media while preparing various campaigns to increase touchpoints with local consumers. In the long term, we plan to establish Youth Menu as the representative brand of classic beauty, continuously enhancing our brand identity.