Go-To garnered a devoted customer base through savvy use of Foster Blake’s extensive social media following,with the brand amassing more than 1 million followers.
Foster Blake says her background gave her credibility and integrity in comparison to “influencers paid to spruik things” who did not have an understanding of the category.
“We are a serious skincare brand,” she says. “Marketing and a good story will get you the first product purchase but it won’t get you repeat purchases.”
The brand has expanded to include Gro-To,plant-based skincare for babies and Bro-To,which is marketed to boys and men.
Go-To was founded in 2014 and the business has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic,recording revenue of $38 million last year
Go-To will remain a standalone brand with Foster Blake as strategic shareholder,chief creative officer and board director. The company’s other co-founders will also remain in the partnership.
Foster Blake has agreed to remain with the business for a minimum of three years and says the deal will enable Go-To to expand internationally to countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada with sales in the United States already making up 12 per cent of the brand’s revenue.
“[BWX] have got proven inroads globally with their brands,they’ve got boots on the ground over there,they’ve got the infrastructure,the people,the experience to help us really do that,” she says. “The main reason to team up with BWX is to go at it very hard.”
Foster Blake says the coronavirus pandemic boosted Go-To’s revenue with 60 per cent of its sales direct to consumer.
“Last year it was the year of skincare and everyone retreating to their homes to look after themselves,” she says. “But obviously Mecca is our retail partner and they’ve had so many of their stores closed for such a long time,that’s going to have an impact,however I feel that’s temporary of course.”
BWX already owns the Sukin,Andalou Naturals,Mineral Fusion,and Nourished Life brands and in its full-year results on Friday reported a 61 per cent lift in net profit to $23.7 million for the year and a 3 per cent increase in revenue to $194.1 million.
BWX chief executive Dave Fenlon says the deal provided BWX with an opportunity to accelerate its international growth strategy and played into the “absolute groundswell movement” to more natural products.
“Zoë is a proven brand-builder and innovator,” he says. “We have the tailwinds of consumers moving from synthetic to natural and ultimately the opportunity to take Go-To international.”
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