Grace

What Grace does

Grace (주)그레이스 is a Seoul-based, privately-held health and beauty (H&B) brand builder and global distribution platform founded in 1991. The company operates two complementary motions: importing and exclusively distributing international H&B brands into South Korea, and exporting Korean brands to overseas markets. Its portfolio spans 50+ brands across cosmetics, skincare, oral care, baby care, probiotics, supplements, and lifestyle categories — including Flower Knows, Body Fantasies, Yves Rocher, Mustela, BioGaia, Plackers, Selahatin, House of Dohwa, Tea Collective, NE:AR, Dr. Scholl, Barebells, and Briozin — distributed through 50,000+ offline stores and digital channels across 60+ countries.

The underlying operating platform integrates exclusive brand acquisition, regulatory consulting (including Japanese compliance), localized packaging, WMS/ERP-enabled logistics (with a fulfillment center in Icheon), and channel-specific marketing execution. Grace runs owned brand malls and global e-commerce storefronts (TikTok Shop, Amazon, Shopify, YesStyle) alongside B2B distribution through tier-1 retailers including Costco USA, Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Sephora, Douglas, AS Watson, Olive Young, Isetan Shinjuku, and Matsumoto Kiyoshi (~20,000 stores). The company operates wholly-owned subsidiaries in Japan (Grace Japan) and the United States (Grace America Inc.) plus a European logistics hub in Germany.

Revenue is generated primarily through transactional distribution margins on B2B sales and B2C e-commerce, supplemented by professional services fees for B2B export logistics and consulting. Customer segments are hybrid: enterprise retailers buy distributed SKUs, while brand owners pay for end-to-end market-entry services. The company targets 25-50% of revenue from overseas markets and has raised approximately $15.6 million in disclosed VC funding across 2023-2024 from SKS Capital, KDB Capital, Shinsegae, Signite Partners, and Woori Bank.

Name

Grace

Legal name

(주)그레이스

Website

https://graceint.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Grace (주)그레이스 is a Seoul-based health and beauty brand builder that exclusively imports international H&B brands into Korea and exports Korean brands globally, distributing 50+ brands across 50,000+ stores in 60+ countries through tier-1 retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health & Beauty Distribution

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Prestige Beauty & Luxury Cosmetics Distribution (CRAOAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oral Care Distribution (CRAOAEAJ), Beauty Tools, Accessories & Devices Distribution (CRAOAEAL)

Keywords

• Health beauty distribution
• Brand import export
• Global logistics services
• K-beauty brand building
• Cross-border retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Exclusive Brand Distribution: GRACE imports and exclusively distributes international H&B brands in South Korea while exporting Korean brands globally. Revenue is generated through margin on product sales across B2B and B2C channels.
2. Brand Portfolio Management: Managing 50+ global H&B brands across cosmetics, health supplements, oral care, baby care, and lifestyle categories. Revenue comes from brand operations, marketing support, and distribution fees.
3. B2B Export Services: One-stop export solutions for Korean brands including product sourcing, business consulting, local marketing, and logistics for Japan, North America, Europe, and ASEAN markets.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grace is a global Health & Beauty brand builder and distribution platform that exclusively imports and operates international H&B brands in the Korean market while exporting Korean brands globally. The company provides end-to-end services spanning brand sourcing, regulatory compliance, logistics fulfillment, retail channel management, localized marketing, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce for a portfolio of 50+ brands across cosmetics, health supplements, oral care, baby care, body care, and lifestyle categories, reaching 60+ countries.

Product overview

GRACE is a global Health & Beauty (H&B) brand aggregator and brand builder operating a multi-brand portfolio across color cosmetics, body care, botanical skincare, dermo skincare, probiotics/supplements, oral care, cleaning products, protein nutrition, and wellness beverages. The company operates as both an exclusive importer-distributor of international brands in Korea and an export partner helping Korean brands expand globally. Its platform spans exclusive brand partnerships, global distribution networks, B2B export services, B2C e-commerce operations, cross-border services, Japan-market operations, integrated logistics (3PL), and offline retail management. Key distributed brands include Flower Knows (C-beauty makeup), Body Fantasies (body fragrance), Yves Rocher (French botanical beauty), House of Dohwa & Tea Collective (Korean clean beauty), Mustela (family dermo skincare), BioGaia (Swedish probiotics), Plackers (US oral care), Briozin (French cleaning), Selahatin (Swedish luxury oral care), NE:AR (Korean supplements), Dr. Scholl (foot care), Kloster Kitchen (ginger shots), Barebells (protein bars), and AHRES (Japanese luxury beauty).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• House of Dohwa (도화가인): Korean fermented rice bran-based clean beauty brand
• Tea Collective

Products and services

• Flower Knows (플라워노즈) C-beauty color cosmetics brand known for artistic, collectible makeup collections featuring whimsical packaging design and high-product quality, combining fairy-tale aesthetics with artistic sensibility.
• Body Fantasies (바디판타지) Life fragrance body care brand offering perfume-quality body mists that deliver premium fragrance experiences at accessible prices for consumers.
• Yves Rocher (이브로쉐) French botanical beauty brand (France No.1) offering scalp and hair care solutions derived from natural ingredients validated through scientific research.
• House of Dohwa (도화가인) Korean rice ferment-based clean beauty brand that reinterprets traditional Korean skincare methods with modern vegan formulations using rice, cotton, and hay natural ingredients.
• Tea Collective (티컬렉티브) Tea-based beauty brand offering skincare products that utilize tea ingredients for differentiated brand storytelling and a strong brand identity.
• Mustela (무스텔라) Premium dermo-cosmetics brand for the whole family from France, developed by Laboratoires Expanscience skin science experts with 75+ years of research in newborn and infant skin, offering customized care for general, dry, extremely dry, and sensitive skin types.
• BioGaia (바이오가이아) Swedish premium probiotic brand with 30+ years of probiotic research and development, utilizing patented probiotic strains derived from healthy breast milk (L. reuteri DSM 17938), available in liquid, capsule, tablet, and powder formulations for all ages.
• Plackers US No.1 oral care brand with 40+ years of tradition offering dental floss and interdental products including Micro Mint Floss, Twinline Floss, Gentle Slide Floss, and Kids Floss, with patented fiber technology for effective interdental cleaning.
• Briozin (브리오신) French premium cleaning product brand established in 1919, offering kitchen cleaners, dishwashing detergents, multi-surface cleaners, and bathroom cleaners with 95% natural ingredients and 99% biodegradability, EcoCert certified.
• Selahatin (셀라하틴) Swedish luxury oral care brand founded by Kristoffer Vural, offering sensory and emotionally engaging oral care experiences available at prestigious global department stores including Isetan Shinjuku, Paris Dover Street Market, London Selfridges, and Berlin Highsnobiety.
• NE:AR Korean health supplement brand focused on inner beauty and health with brand slogan 'Wherever you are, NE:AR is near you', distributed in Japan through convenience stores and drugstores with brand ambassador TWICE Sana.
• Dr. Scholl (닥터솔) Global foot care brand ranked No.1 worldwide, offering foot care products addressing various foot concerns.
• Kloster Kitchen (클로스터 키친) Premium ginger shot brand offering ginger-based wellness beverages.
• Barebells (베어벨스) Europe's No.1 premium protein bar brand, officially launched in Korea by GRACE.
• AHRES New Japan luxury beauty brand launched in Korea by GRACE.
• Exclusive Brand Partnerships (해외 브랜드 독점 운영) Service providing exclusive import and operating rights for international H&B brands in Korea, maintaining each brand's philosophy and identity while executing localized market strategies to drive growth.
• Global H&B Solution Platform (글로벌 H&B 솔루션 플랫폼) Integrated distribution platform connecting international H&B brands with Korean and global markets, providing brand strategy, logistics, marketing, and channel operations support for brand partners.
• Global B2B Export Business (글로벌 B2B 수출 사업) Export services helping domestic Korean brands expand into international markets including Japan, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, encompassing product sourcing, business consulting, local marketing, and logistics.
• Global B2C Commerce (글로벌 B2C 비즈니스) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce operations including brand mall management, TikTok Shop, Amazon, and Shopify operations for global market reach, with CRM, affiliate marketing, and viral expansion strategies.
• Cross-Border Partnership / CBT (크로스보더 직구 서비스) Cross-border direct purchase service enabling international consumers to access Korean H&B brands through managed import and direct-to-consumer fulfillment.
• GRACE Japan (그레이스 Japan) Japan-focused operations providing local distribution, marketing, and logistics support for brands entering the Japanese market through drugstores, convenience stores, variety stores, and department stores.
• Integrated Logistics Solutions / 3PL (통합 물류 솔루션) Third-party logistics services including warehouse management, fulfillment, and supply chain optimization for brand partners, leveraging an owned fulfillment center in Icheon-si and global supply chain infrastructure spanning Korea, Japan, US, and Europe.
• Offline Store Operations (오프라인 매장 운영) Physical retail store operations for H&B brands in offline marketplaces, including management of pop-up stores at premium retail locations.

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• CJ Olive Young (US Subsidiary)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE serves as official vendor partner for CJ Olive Young's US subsidiary, supporting Korean K-beauty brand entry into the US market. Beyond product supply, GRACE provides brand entry strategy, logistics, marketing, and channel operations support for US market success.
• Japanese Drugstore Chains (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Welcia, Sugi Pharmacy, Tsuruha, Sundrug)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE distributes Korean brands through major Japanese drugstore chains with approximately 20,000 stores nationwide. These partnerships are central to GRACE's Japan market strategy.
• Japanese Convenience Store Chains (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE expanded distribution to Japanese convenience store chains including 7-Eleven (20,000+ stores), FamilyMart, and Lawson, providing widespread consumer accessibility for Korean health supplements and beauty products.
• Isetan Shinjuku (Department Store)strategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE partnered with Isetan Shinjuku for premium brand positioning of House of Dohwa and Tea Collective. The luxury department store serves as a key touchpoint for brand value communication and market validation.
• Costco USA, ULTA Beauty, NordstromcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE is expanding K-beauty brand distribution through major US retailers including Costco USA, ULTA Beauty, and Nordstrom, focusing on building local distribution networks for brands.
• European Retail Chains (Sephora, Douglas, AS Watson, Superdrug)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE distributes Korean brands across Europe through Sephora, Douglas, AS Watson, and Superdrug, reaching consumers in 10+ European countries from the German logistics hub.
• Chammy Cosmetics B.V.strategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch K-beauty specialty distributor for offline retail in the Netherlands. GRACE's House of Dohwa brand entered Chammy Cosmetics stores, marking entry into the European offline retail market.
• Don QuijotestrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGRACE partnered with Japanese discount store chain Don Quijote for brand building in Japan, expanding retail presence beyond traditional beauty channels.
• Grace America Inc.coreOthersUS subsidiary established by GRACE to manage North American distribution and logistics infrastructure, supporting K-beauty brand entry with import, logistics, distribution, and marketing services.
• Feseul (NE:AR Brand Owner)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRACE partners with Feseul for NE:AR brand expansion, leveraging the brand's health and inner beauty philosophy for market growth in Japan and Korea.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Amorepacific Corporation: South Korea's largest beauty conglomerate, owning and globally distributing brands such as Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree, and Etude. Compares to Grace as a Korean H&B platform with multi-brand portfolio and international distribution, but unlike Grace it owns its brand IP and operates a much broader vertical scope.
• LG Household & Health Care: Korean conglomerate spanning cosmetics (The History of Whoo, O HUI, belif), household care, and oral care with global distribution. Similar to Grace in operating a multi-category H&B portfolio across multiple geographies, but at materially larger scale and with owned brands.
• Kao Corporation: Japanese multi-brand household and personal care conglomerate (Bioré, Curel, Kanebo, Sensai, John Frieda, Curél, Attack, Magiclean). Comparable to Grace in operating a multi-brand H&PC portfolio with significant Japan/global distribution, but at a vastly larger scale with owned brands and broader categories.
• Shiseido Company: Japanese global beauty conglomerate owning Shiseido, Clé de Peau, NARS, Drunk Elephant, ELIXIR, and IPSA. Compares to Grace in Asia-headquartered H&B multi-brand international distribution, but with owned luxury IP and direct retail (Shiseido The Store) rather than an aggregator model.
• Coty Inc. US-listed global beauty conglomerate holding CoverGirl, Max Factor, Rimmel, Hugo Boss fragrance, Gucci beauty, Kylie Cosmetics, and skincare brands. Compares to Grace as a multi-brand H&B platform with global retail distribution, though Coty owns its brand portfolio and is several orders of magnitude larger.

Direct peers

• APR (formerly Able C&C): Korean H&B brand house that owns and operates multiple Korean beauty brands including Missha, A'pieu, and Lirikos, with growing international distribution. Most directly comparable to Grace in the multi-brand aggregation and cross-border brand expansion model, though APR owns its brands while Grace primarily licenses/operates them.
• Cosmax Inc. Korean cosmetics original-design manufacturer (ODM) and distributor serving global beauty brands with manufacturing and global supply chain capabilities including China, US, and ASEAN hubs. Comparable to Grace as a Korea-headquartered enabler for global H&B brand distribution, though Cosmax is manufacturing-led while Grace is brand-operations-led.
• Kolmar Korea: Korean cosmetics ODM and contract manufacturer producing cosmetics, health supplements, and dermo-cosmetics for domestic and global brand owners. Compares to Grace in enabling global H&B brand distribution out of Korea, though with a manufacturing rather than brand-operations focus.
• Hyphens (Hyphens Pharma International): Singapore-listed K-beauty brand aggregator operating multiple Korean-owned brands (Dr. Oracle, Haa, Hince, COSRX, toun28) across Asia. Direct peer to Grace's model of aggregating and internationalizing Korean beauty brands via multi-brand portfolio strategy.

Others

• Reckitt Benckiser Group: UK-listed multi-brand H&PC company owning Dettol, Durex, Lysol, Mucinex, Nurofen, and Veet. Relevant adjacent comparable to Grace in operating a multi-category health, hygiene, and personal-care portfolio across global retail, though focused on FMCG essentials rather than beauty/premium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grace