Australia’s microbiome-focussed haircare brand, has announced a pre-seed investment deal with Unilever Ventures. Straand launched to market in July 2022. The cruelty free, vegan, natural and Australian-made brand offers hair and scalp care to combat scalp dryness, flaking, product build-up, thinning and even hair loss by harnessing the power of prebiotics.
In just over three months, Straand launched four prebiotic scalp balancing products, including The Crown Cleanse, The Crown Fix Serum, The Head Doctor Conditioning Treatment and The Miracle Worker Scrub, along with a premium range of accessories.
In October, the brand launched into Adore Beauty, Australia’s leading online beauty retailer, as part of a strategic partnership. Straand is now readying to enter the US market, both through its own direct channels and Amazon.
“The investment will help pave the way for the brand’s expansion into the US, UK, Europe and China. Dandruff and broader scalp concerns are a significant and much maligned condition globally. There has been limited innovation in the scalp health category for many years and it is ripe for disruption. Straand stood out with its microbiome-focused formulations, bold branding, youthful appeal and affordable positioning,” said Rachel Harris, Partner at Unilever Ventures.
Straand was co-founded by marketing expert Jeremy Hunt, joined by Sarah Hamilton, the co-founder of Australian skincare brand Sand & Sky, a specialist of cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) in China Tim Brown, beauty and personal care brands veteran Nick Morris and brand strategist Meagan Pate, who is also the brand’s General Manager.
“Listening to consumers, gleaning insights from global category data, and working with an experienced team has landed us with an exceptional brand with products delivering to trends and consumer demand,” explained Jeremy Hunt.
