Burlington Beauty Company Ogee Plans Expansion

Ogee, a Burlington-based natural make-up firm, has been rising quickly for the previous couple of years.

Traders guess greater than $4 million on Ogee in 2017 after the small firm received the 2016 LaunchVT pitch competitors. Ogee raised one other $7 million in capital final yr, most of it from the Vermont funding neighborhood.

Now the wonder firm, which focuses on all-natural make-up and skincare merchandise, is poised to develop. Beginning in February, Ogee merchandise will be discovered on cabinets in Bluemercury, a sequence of high-end magnificence shops. And later subsequent yr, the merchandise shall be obtainable at Saks Fifth Avenue malls.

The corporate manufactures most of its merchandise in California and New Jersey, nevertheless it additionally makes some on the Winooski-based Twincraft, which manufactures lotions and lotions on contract for 150 manufacturers. Subsequent yr, Ogee plans to maneuver a few of its product manufacturing from out of state to Essex Junction-based Autumn Harp, one other contract producer.

Vermont has a small however sturdy magnificence trade, in response to Ogee cofounder and CEO Mark Rice, who graduated from Middlebury School. He stated the corporate is dedicated to holding its headquarters within the state, and increasing its manufacturing presence right here as effectively. Ogee has a couple of dozen staff, most of them in Vermont.

“Our long-term plans are to by no means go away Vermont,” Rice stated.

In terms of enterprise, magnificence merchandise don’t at all times get the eye that maple merchandise, snowboarding and flannel pajamas do in Vermont. However some magnificence startups have discovered a spot within the state’s economic system. Tata Harper, a Whiting-based luxurious magnificence merchandise firm that launched in 2010, was bought this fall to a Korean conglomerate known as Amorepacific for a reported $125 million. Like Ogee, Tata Harper steers away from genetically modified merchandise, artificial chemical compounds, and synthetic colours or fragrances.

Ursa Main in Waterbury, one other pure merchandise skincare firm, obtained $5 million from an out of doors investor for its personal enlargement in 2019.

Whereas Vermont is much faraway from vogue and wonder scorching spots, it helps that companies within the state have a repute for making sustainable and premium merchandise, stated Michele Asch, a vice chairman at Twincraft.

“Sustainability is large; our manufacturers are at all times in search of what packaging is extra sustainable and reusable,” she stated. “The innovation is admittedly within the sustainable, clear market.”

On-line gross sales additionally make a giant distinction. Even with a small brick and mortar presence — Ogee is bought domestically at Burlington’s Mirror, Mirror and some different shops — the corporate noticed its gross sales enhance 80 p.c final yr and expects them to extend one other 100% this yr, all by means of on-line advertising, Rice stated.

He based Ogee with brothers Abbott and Alex Stark in 2014. The corporate spent greater than two years creating its merchandise and acquiring natural certification earlier than launching its first choices in 2016.

The Stark brothers grew up in Brandon. Abbott had labored at Autumn Harp and knew tips on how to formulate make-up; Alex had expertise with provide chain administration. Rice introduced a long time of expertise within the magnificence enterprise, together with a stint as CEO of the design model John Galliano.

Now, “we’re creating formulation that don’t exist wherever else,” Rice stated.

One of many obstacles homegrown magnificence merchandise firms face is entry to the capital wanted to create stock, stated T.J. Whalen, normal companion and managing director at FreshTracks Capital. In that means, the wonder enterprise is like so many different cottage industries that begin in Vermont.

“You’ll be able to develop virtually any interest enterprise in meals or beverage, however to get it to actually develop from zero to $15 million in income in 5 years is unusual,” Whalen stated of Ogee.