Why are consumers coming around to ingestibles after years of scepticism?

Consumers are becoming more discerning. We’re looking at what’s on the back of packaging. We’re not being sold the dream. The guidelines of what you can sell in supplements are becoming stricter. There’s a lot of trust that consumers have in us. And the other thing is a systemic approach to ingestible beauty. I’ve had four children, so melasma pigmentation has been significant for me. If you’re using a topical, you might be applying it there [on areas of concern]. When you’re taking an ingestible, you’re treating the whole body systemically as opposed to the localised approach.

How do you address the shift in what consumers want from looking a certain way to looking their best?

What gave you faith to start a business based solely on marine collagen?

My hair was falling out to the point where I’d have to pour acid down the drain because of the amount of hair that I was losing in my bathroom. I discovered the product in Japan while I was visiting my girlfriend over there. And what was interesting about not only Japan, but Asia, is that collagen supplementation wasn’t new. A lot of the research that I did in the early days when I founded my brand was based on Asian collagen brands. Did I know it was going to work when I bought it? No. I had tried every other hair, skin and nail supplement on the market. But I started taking it, and it just seemed too good to be true.

At a time when everyone was saying no to us in Australia in terms of in-store brick and mortars, because the category was too new, Asian consumers had heard of it, believed in it, and appreciated that this was an Australian brand that was quality testing, sustainably sourced, and had all of our methods of manufacturing.

What separates Vida Glow’s marine collagen from similar products?

What people should be looking for when they’re looking for a collagen powder is whether it’s a hydrolysed peptide, where it’s sourced from, how it’s sourced, what the molecular weight of the product is. Is it quality tested? Is it sustainable? We’re governed by GlobalG. A. P., the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and the best aquaculture practices. The fish are tested for microbiology, nutrition, heavy metals. We do not release a batch of products unless it is independently tested by a data-certified lab. It also has to be palatable, because you’re not going to be consistent with something that tastes disgusting. It needs to be easily absorbed into your drink or into your coffee if you’re having it that way. Vida Glow ticks all of those boxes.

What were the biggest challenges when expanding your business? When did you feel you were ready to take that step?

You need to have people on the ground in different countries, understanding the consumer, the category, the market, the competitors, the retailers. We’re very lucky to be in Harrods, Selfridges, Sephora, global retailers, understanding what’s working in the category, what isn’t working. I can’t say that there’s one particular strategy. There’s been a lot of failures along the way and a lot of things that haven’t worked. You have to accept those failures because you will fail, and it’s a hard pill to swallow.

To what do you attribute your success: the price point, the packaging?

All of those things are important, but ultimately, it’s the repeat customer. It’s the results. Consumers will not repurchase a product that doesn’t work. And they want it to be simple. Gone are the days of the 22-step beauty regime. Our customers are seeing visible, tangible results, so they’re happy to repurchase. You need your repeat customer – consumers have too many options.

What about your company’s commitment to sustainability and social causes – key concerns for Gen Z consumers?

We fund research in children’s hospitals in Australia, and fund the Lady Garden Foundation, a global foundation based in the UK, that focuses on research for the five gynaecological cancers that women face: vulva, cervical, vaginal, ovarian and uterine. In terms of sustainability and social responsibility, it’s looking at all of the steps. There’s nothing sustainable about wild-caught fish. Our fish are bred in open-water farms in Europe – bred for consumption. We use the skin of the fish, which would otherwise be discarded as waste, hydrolyse that to a very fine molecular weight. When we did our rebranding [in 2020], we used boxes from recycled materials. If you don’t have answers [on sustainability], you’ll get into hot water. People see through the labels. You have to dot your ‘i’s and cross your ‘t’s.