Unilever is to acquire premium biotech haircare brand K18, as part of its strategy to focus on high-growth areas.
Founded in 2020 by Suveen Sahib and Britta Cox, K18 describes itself as being at the intersection of beauty and biotechnology. K18 is distributed through professional salons, retail and e-commerce, mainly in North America, the UK and Australia. It has more than 20 billion TikTok views and says it uses social media to engage consumers in the science of hair.
K18’s range of six products aim to address hair damage and are used by both professionals and consumers. Its first molecule – K18Peptide – claims to imitate the human keratin structure to rapidly reverse chemical damage on all hair types. The brand’s products are positioned as an alternative to more complex, lengthier hair treatment routines.
Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever Prestige CEO, said: “We are thrilled to continue to grow our Unilever Prestige portfolio in high growth premium spaces with the addition of K18. This acquisition complements our fast-growing portfolio of premium, culturally-relevant consumer brands.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.