Patrick Zhong, vice-president of Henkel Consumer Brands Greater China

Henkel Consumer Brands presents its six leading brands at the ongoing China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Henkel Consumer Brands, a key division of Henkel Group, is making a strong presence at the eighth China International Import Expo in Shanghai by revealing a range of hair beauty, laundry and home care solutions from its recently acquired Asia-Pacific Shiseido Professional and Greater China Vidal Sassoon hair care lines, highlighting its long-term expansion goals.

The standout exhibits at the CIIE include an imported spray product from Sublimic under Shiseido Professional, along with a domestically produced hair oil product under Vidal Sassoon, which represents the first Vidal Sassoon-branded hair oil under Henkel. One Push, a coloring product under the Schwarzkopf brand, is also on display.

According to Patrick Zhong, vice-president of Henkel Consumer Brands Greater China, the assembly of hair beauty brands at Henkel's booth at the CIIE demonstrates the confidence of Henkel in the Chinese consumer market and its long-term vision to meet the evolving demands of local consumers for quality, fashion and a sustainable lifestyle.

"China is one of the most strategic markets for Henkel Consumer Brands. We hope we can leverage the spillover effect of the CIIE to rapidly turn exhibits into commodities and to introduce more innovative solutions into the Chinese market," Zhong said.

Prior to the CIIE, representatives from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration offered Henkel one-on-one consultation services in the filing procedure for a hair spray product under Shiseido Professional. This assistance will help ensure the product's successful debut in China.

Optimized layout

Henkel Consumer Brands, engaging in consumer business in China for more than 50 years, has distinguished itself with a significant expansion in China's hair beauty, laundry, and home care sectors in recent years.

According to the company, ongoing efforts to optimize its market layout in China — such as expanding its brand portfolio, enhancing industry chain development, fostering innovation, and investing in talent training — are seen as crucial to its continued success.

"China's consumer sector presents both challenges and abundant opportunities. We're not waiting for opportunities to come to us. Instead, we're proactively adjusting our market layout to adapt to the evolving landscape," Zhong said. "Our confidence in the Chinese market is reflected in every one of our decisions in China."

From 2022 to 2025, Henkel Consumer Brands initiated two strategic acquisitions in China and the Asia-Pacific market to expand its market layout in the hair beauty sector beyond its professional and retail brands to meet the growing demand for personalized and high-quality hairstyling services in China.

In 2022, the company added the Asia-Pacific Shiseido Professional brand to its product portfolio. This salon-exclusive brand offers premium products for professional hairdressers, including hair care, hair color, styling, and perm solutions.

In 2024, Henkel acquired the Vidal Sassoon, a well-established hair care brand with a salon-inspired image in the retail market, as well as related hair care business in China. The company said that this acquisition complements its portfolio by addressing gaps in the premium retail segment.

"The acquisition of Shiseido Professional complements Henkel's existing Schwarzkopf Professional brand, creating a product portfolio capable of meeting hair beauty demands in both Western and Asian markets. Vidal Sassoon, a legendary name known for its haircutting techniques, further enhances this lineup. The combination of these three brands addresses all needs in the hair beauty sector, setting a solid foundation for Henkel to lead in this industry," Zhong said.

Apart from adding more brands to its portfolio, Henkel Consumer Brands has been committed to expanding production and innovation capacity in China.

In an effort to gain a larger foothold in China, Henkel Consumer Brands completed the acquisition of Suzhou Boke Biotechnology, a producer of personal care products, in March. The factory will support the business to expand production volume in China.

Innovation facilities have also been built by the consumer business in China to serve the local market. In 2024, Henkel opened the Asia research and development center for consumer brands in Shanghai with an investment of about 100 million yuan ($14.03 million). As Henkel's largest R&D facility in Asia, the new center has played a key role in attracting top scientific talent, bolstering local R&D capabilities in both Hair Beauty and Laundry & Home Care, and positions Henkel consumer products at the forefront of the industry.

Mutual empowerment

In its efforts to deepen development in China, Henkel Consumer Brands is also committed to establishing a relationship with its partners — including distributors, retailers, salons and hairdressers — that is mutually supportive, rather than transactional.

"We are driving a transformation in the role of distributors, shifting from a 'buy-sell' model to a 'sell-buy' approach. This transition moves from traditional supplier procurement to becoming true buyers who serve consumers.

"The aim is to turn the product-selling channel into an entry point that guides consumers into a lifestyle, thereby jointly creating a more growth-oriented category ecosystem and consumer experience," Zhong said.

"Instead of simply providing a price list and asking our partners to sell new products using the old business model, we are committed to offering them more comprehensive information. This includes the rationale behind the new products, their applications and their effect. Then our partners, who are in direct contact with consumers, can decide whether or not to place an order," Zhong said. "All of our partners are our valued patrons, and we contribute to each other's success."

Talent matters

In the coming years, Henkel Consumer Brands will bring the renowned Vidal Sassoon Academy back to Shanghai as part of its efforts to support the upgrade of the hair beauty industry in China.

According to Zhong, the hair beauty industry in China has experienced prolonged growth without sufficient rules and regulation, leading some hairdressers to view it as a sector for quick money rather than a lifelong career. This, in turn, has resulted in a lack of trust within the industry.

"We hope to train hairstyling professionals who have a higher-education background and a genuine passion for hair beauty," said Zhong. "We will also look for opportunities to establish partnership educational institutions in China to offer hairstyling courses to contribute to the healthy development of the industry."

Looking ahead, Henkel Consumer Brands will continue to expand in the Chinese market and remain strongly committed to its "in China, for China" strategy, aiming for even greater achievements in the country.

tangzhihao@chinadaily.com.cn