THE WHAT? Kao is expanding its Curél sensitive skincare brand into Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, strengthening the Japanese group’s European cosmetics business as part of its global growth strategy.
THE DETAILS Curél will launch across the four Nordic markets in September 2026 exclusively through beauty retailers KICKS and Matas. The expansion follows launches in the UK in 2019, Germany and France in 2025 and the Netherlands in May 2026, with UK retail sales currently up 24 percent year on year. Curél is one of six focus brands within Kao’s Global Sharp Top strategy, and the company aims to increase its sales to 1.6 times 2024 levels by 2030, with overseas markets accounting for approximately 50 percent of sales.
THE WHY? The Nordic rollout demonstrates Kao’s strategy of scaling selected Japanese beauty brands internationally through established specialist retail partners, with Europe positioned as a priority market for the expansion of its cosmetics portfolio.
Source: KAO
