Global ambitions: Forest Essential sets its sights on US, SEA and Middle East after UK launch

Forest Essentials is a luxury Ayurveda beauty brand based in India. Since its inception in 2001, the brand is now shipping its products to over 120 countries globally from its own website.

Domestically, the brand is also available on top e-commerce platforms such as Nykaa, Amazon India, Purplle, and Myntra. It also owns and operates 100 boutiques and is expected to open five more doors by the end of this year.

On October 20, the company announced that that it launched in the UK with lookfantastic an online beauty retailer owned by The Hut Group. This marked the brand’s first launch with an international retailer.

“Launching Forest Essentials on one of the most successful beauty websites globally was keeping in line with our brand’s strategic international expansion plans,”​ said Samrath Bedi, executive director of Forest Essentials.

The UK is one of the brand’s top global markets, with 70% of its UK customers placing an order every 30 to 45 days.

“The U.K. has been one of our largest online markets, outside of India and with London being a cosmopolitan city, our launch in the UK ties in well with our international expansion strategy,” ​said Bedi.

He added that the company hopes to glean insights into the UK market from its partnership with lookfantastic as it aims to open a physical store in London next spring.

“We aim to set up experiential stores, throughout the UK to reach a wider audience in cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham to begin with.”​

Launching on lookfantastic is just the beginning for the company, which is focusing on international expansion in the next few years. It hopes that making its mark in the UK will help to enhance international presence of the brand.

“Our first key objective is to establish Forest Essentials as a luxury beauty brand within the U.K. market, and thereby internationally, to enhance appeal for its products that are rooted in the ancient science of well-being,” ​said Bedi.

“Our global expansion has begun with the UK This year and we are looking at expanding to the Middle East, South East Asia and the United States in the next few years.”​

Ayurveda advocate

Aside from ramping up its expansion in the UK and increasing its retail presence in India, the company’s overarching goal is to raise the profile of Ayurvedic beauty.

“Ayurveda has been a way of life for Indians for centuries, with formulations tried and tested over thousands of years. We want the world to see this as we do, not just as folklore and text, but as a mainstream science,” ​said Bedi.

“Our personal vision is to see Ayurveda move from an alternative science to a mainstream science. It should not only be based on just texts and folklore but also be given a modern context with global standards and policies.”​