“We started out in 2000 with a small, yet very passionate team. During a short period of time we were able to grow significantly, ” said Raymond Cloosterman, the brand’s founder and chief executive officer. “Still, we continuously strive to expand into new markets and see the U.S. launch as a very big step in the right direction.”
The brand, which includes more than 400 stockkeeping units across bath and body, men’s and mineral makeup, will enter the U.S. exclusively through Barneys with about 60 bath, body and home products, to start. It is planned for Rituals to occupy six to seven shelves in Barneys doors and two to three shelves, or table presentations at the Co-op locations.
In-store customers will be offered complimentary hand massages and access to a variety of Rituals body products around the sink area. In 2014, the brand will add color cosmetics to the Barneys lineup. In addition, two stand-alone Rituals stores on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and SoHo neighborhoods, will open their doors — about 700 and 1,000 square feet in size, respectively — in early 2014.
“What we see here in the Netherlands, in specific department stores in which high-end customers visit [is that] we have more accessible price points than [other prestige] brands,” said Eva Elias, creative director of Rituals, which is priced between $15 for a shower foam and $35 for a reed diffuser. “We are seeing a lot of stores wanting brands in that specific spot of luxury and accessibility.”
At the center of the brand, which is inspired by ancient Eastern rituals, is the goal of turning everyday moments, from hand washing to showering, into a time of calm. “It’s about daily routines, taking a bit of time and attention for what you are doing, being conscious of that moment,” said Elias. “All too often our lives are so busy that we forget to enjoy. Our mission is to encourage you to slow down once in a while.”
According to Cloosterman, Rituals is the number-one beauty brand in the Netherlands, and is sold throughout 13 countries. With sights set on robust global expansion, plans call for the brand to be available in more than 1,000 stores worldwide in the next 10 years. Although the brand would not discuss financial details, industry sources estimate its introduction into the U.S. market could generate between $2 million and $3 million in sales within the first year.