Japanese skincare brand Hacci, whose products are honey-based, is eyeing expansion in travel retail. The innovative luxury brand is the brainchild of Hitomi Mizutani, the daughter of the founder of Japan’s Mizutani Apiary, a renowned bee farm which was set up in 1912.
With an upbringing steeped in beekeeping, Mizutani has developed a line of skincare products based on her knowledge and love of honey and its potential in the beauty industry.
As she points out, honey is “not only good for consumption”; it contains elements that are key to enhancing beauty with benefits including skin rejuvenation, whitening and moisture retention.
Haaci, which boasts a strong following in Japan, struck a partnership with leading travel retailer DFS in Hong Kong in 2019, just before the COVID pandemic set in, and has since secured listings with The Shilla Duty Free. Now, through an exclusive partnership with Hong Kong-based global travel retail distributor Blue Chip Group, Hacci is seeking to share its brand values and natural ingredients with a wider market.
Hacci CEO Hitomi Mizutani and Blue Chip Group Managing Director Flora Lee spoke with The Moodie Davitt Report Associate Editor Colleen Morgan about progress.
Tell us a little bit about Hacci and the brand’s special relationship with honey.
Hitomi Mizutani: I am the elder daughter of a bee farmer. From a very young age, honey was a common product in my daily life: adding honey at bath time, using grandmother’s handmade honey soap, and mixing honey into beauty products.
I used to have royal jelly as a snack and took propolis to prevent colds because of its ability to boost the immune system. In this way, I have enjoyed a deep bond with honey and I take pride not only in the quality, but also in the design and texture of each and every product we launch to reflect that.
You must consider that honey has three main elements. It moisturises, sterilises and whitens, all of which make a perfect match for beauty products.
I believe Hacci is the only beauty brand that owns bee farms. We are the pioneers who have set the ‘Honey for Beauty’ trend in Japan by building awareness of the benefits of incorporating honey in beauty products.
“The brand’s roots are in the bee farms, in bees and honey. It is our story and ethos to offer natural products and to be better than best. We want to share that story in every retail channel.” – Hitomi Mizutani
Flora Lee: The Mizutani family has owned bee farms in Japan for over five generations and Hitomi Mizutani decided to create the brand based on that heritage.
We discovered the brand’s store during a business trip to Japan. It was love at first sight. We introduced the brand to travel retail at the 2019 TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition. The response was positive and led to the grand opening of the first Hacci store at T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Canton Road.
However, COVID hit the globe and the rest of our launch plan has been on hold for two years. Here we are again, at the starting point.
Hacci has 17 domestic stores and presence in three duty free shops, launching as you say with DFS in 2019 and later partnering with The Shilla Duty Free. What is your overall vision for the brand in the channel?
Hitomi Mizutani: As a honey bee ambassador it has always been one of my goals to spread happiness all over the world. We would like expand our brand identity through duty free stores, which offer the perfect way to increase brand awareness.
Global expansion is one of our priorities. At the same time, however, we want to settle the brand’s position in the global market. I want more people to know about the benefits of honey and for every family to own at least one Hacci product.
Flora Lee: Blue Chip’s vision is to grow Hacci as one of the best luxury beauty brands in the market. We believe travel retail matches the brand’s status.
Given Hacci’s history, we will continue to work hard on not only expansion but also on developing its luxury brand image.
Hacci is committed to sustainable and regenerative manufacturing. Tell us about your aim to offer a product which is ‘120% or more, not 100%’.
Hitomi Mizutani: We aspire to be a brand that can last and be loved by customers for many years to come. We want everyone who experiences Hacci to be satisfied so our aspirations are extremely high; more than 100% if that is possible.
Hacci products feature honey produced from the Mizutani Apiary and include Honey Soap, Beauty Honey drops, Honey Lip, shampoos, Body Cream and Cleansing Cream, Milk and Oil. Other products such as Table Honey, Honey Chocolate and Tea are also available along with selected wellbeing items including Hacci Honey Collagen and Coenzyme Q10 Royal Jelly.
Each product offers a perfect balance of honey and other beauty ingredients. I believe this will keep our customers satisfied. It is not about what sells, it is about producing something that meets with the era of 120% effort.
What differentiates the Hacci shopping experience? And how will this elevated customer journey translate to travel retail?
Hitomi Mizutani: The high quality of our products, their luxurious and elegant feeling that you sense just by a touch is what sets Hacci apart from other brands. The comfortable store ambience is also important, offering a warm feeling just like a beauty salon. We strongly believe that everything we provide for customers will bring happiness and delight.
Flora Lee: We have tried to benchmark the Japan domestic store journey as much as possible. However, there are difficulties in presenting the full Hacci experience given the limited spaces in travel retail.
We want to increase product awareness and plan to offer sampling to walk-in customers. At the same time, we aim to increase customer experience by offering mini sized products rather than discounts. We are also considering promotions and travel retail-exclusive lines.
What are your priorities for Hacci in travel retail?
Hitomi Mizutani: In domestic markets our products are available in selected department stores. We have specified and limited locations to maintain a luxury level. However, what we care about the most is that Hacci will be rooted in different cultures for a long time and become a way of life.
Flora Lee: At the moment we are focusing on DFS and The Shilla Duty Free, with plans to collaborate with another operator as well. We are moving on regional expansion and new counter locations to position Hacci as a prestige brand.
The Chinese market is growing as is our presence in Korea.
What is Hacci’s hero product? Which product lines will be your travel retail focus.
Hitomi Mizutani: Honey Facial Soap, the Aqua UV series and our Cleansing Milk are the Hacci hero products.
We believe lines that sell well in travel retail differ from those in local stores. Originally our products were drinkable so I would like to highlight a wellbeing line in travel retail. It makes sense that as people care about their skin, they also care about what goes into their bodies.
Flora Lee: As Hitomi has mentioned, there are three key products. Aqua UV cream can be removed with soap and water as it is made with natural ingredients. Hacci’s Cleansing Milk is an extra soft cream cleanser which does not leave the skin oily and Honey Soap, of course, with its bubbles and honey and floral scent.
Honey Collagen should be mentioned as well. It’s a unique product which comes in a pack of nine bottles and is particularly popular with brides.
What sets Hacci apart from other beauty brands in the channel?
Hitomi Mizutani: Overwhelming expressiveness is what sets us apart from other brands. Hacci cares for all its customers, in both offline and online stores. We offer our customers a comfort zone which we believe is our selling point.
The brand’s roots are in the bee farms, in bees and honey. It is our story and ethos to offer natural products and to be better than best. We want to share that story in every retail channel.
Flora Lee: Hacci is Hitomi Mizutani’s baby, her daughter if you like. It’s the detailed product development, VMD (Virtual Merchandising Department) and strong public relations that set Hacci apart from other beauty brands. And, of course, customers love the main ingredient.
What do you see as the big beauty trends that will influence your business, including in travel retail, into the future?
Hitomi Mizutani: I feel that naturalism and science are polarised, and Hacci sits in the middle. We can develop very well-balanced products which suit global travel retail.
We want the balance of nature and science to become a lifestyle.
Flora Lee: Customers are very smart. They follow trends but, at the same time, are looking for something different and that has created the niche market which is so strong over the past couple of years.
I strongly believe this trend and customers’ willingness to find something niche will make the brand stronger. ✈
