en.Wedoany.com Reported - Vietnam's natural skincare brand Cocovie plans to officially enter the Chinese market this year. The brand, which uses coconut as its core ingredient and is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, has completed registration in Beijing and will prioritize major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou for its initial expansion. According to Nikkei Asia data, China's beauty market is worth up to $27 billion (approximately RMB 190 billion), and Cocovie aims to achieve $1 million in sales in its first year in China.
Founded in 2015, Cocovie's product line covers skincare, hair care, and body care, with its core selling point being the use of natural coconut resources from Vietnam's Mekong Delta region. The brand has achieved profitability in its domestic Vietnamese market and has entered retail channels such as Aeon, Guardian, and Annam Gourmet, while also exporting beauty products and cooking oil to markets in Europe, the Middle East, and South America.
Unlike many new consumer brands that rely on OEM production, Cocovie has integrated its supply chain deep into raw material sources since its inception. The brand has established small pressing workshops near farms in coconut-growing areas such as Ben Tre Province, Vietnam, processing fresh coconut oil on-site to shorten the supply chain and create local employment opportunities for women. Public data shows that Cocovie has partnered with over 4,000 farming households, covering more than 1,000 hectares of coconut plantations, and achieves full value utilization of coconuts through a circular economy model, including using coconut oil and shells to make soap trays, and using pressed coconut residue to create body scrub products, striving for zero-waste production.
Cocovie focuses on affordable, high-quality natural ingredients and eco-friendly concepts, aiming to attract consumers open to the Chinese market amid the trend toward minimalist skincare and clean beauty. Despite intense competition in China's cosmetics market, the Chinese market remains an irresistible draw for Southeast Asian brands. Chinese consumers' interest in natural, clean, and sustainable concepts continues to grow, with clean beauty, plant-based skincare, and sustainable packaging becoming key global beauty trends. The brand's core product positioning around natural coconut oil aligns well with current consumer preferences for gentle formulas and natural ingredients.
Meanwhile, the Chinese market is undergoing a shift in imported beauty brands. Over the past decade, Chinese consumers have primarily been familiar with Korean, Japanese, and Western brands, but emerging brands from Southeast Asia are now gaining traction. Cross-border e-commerce, live-streaming e-commerce, and social media have lowered the entry barriers for regional brands into the Chinese market, especially on platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, where niche brands can more easily find targeted consumer groups. Live-streaming e-commerce has become one of the key pathways for overseas brands to enter China. However, domestic Chinese beauty brands are also rapidly rising, with competition in ingredient R&D and channel operations far exceeding that in most overseas markets. Consumers' demands for product efficacy, brand storytelling, and scientific backing are also increasing. For Cocovie, relying solely on the natural coconut concept is insufficient; building brand awareness, adapting to the complex channel ecosystem, and differentiating itself from numerous natural skincare brands will be crucial to establishing a foothold in the Chinese market.
