Vancouver-based startup Blanka has successfully secured $2.7 million CAD (approximately $2 million USD) in all-equity and all-primary seed funding. The company operates as a platform for private labeling beauty and wellness products, aiming to assist individuals in launching their own beauty brands regardless of their level of expertise.
Private labeling involves manufacturing a product under one company's name and selling it under another company's brand. Blanka's platform enables users to seamlessly execute this strategy, streamlining the creation of their beauty product lines.
Dundee Venture Capital led Blanka's seed funding round, with participation from Storytime Capital and Disruption Ventures. Notable individual investors include Fatima Yusuf, a former director at Shopify, and Manica Blain, the founder of Top Knot Ventures.
Founded in 2021 by Kaylee Astle, Doug Long, and Adam Chuntz, Blanka positions its platform as an all-inclusive resource for independent brands of varying sizes to source and customize beauty products. The platform offers a range of products, including vegan options, skincare for both men and women, and accessories.
Blanka maintains a stringent vetting process, seeking cruelty-free products exclusively manufactured in North America. The platform features tools for branding, fulfillment, and shipping, and boasts the capability to launch a new beauty brand in under an hour and at a cost of less than $200. Apart from purchasing products from Blanka upon receiving orders, the only additional cost during its two-week free trial is a one-time brand plate fee of $149, used for imprinting a brand's logo onto products.
Astle highlighted a significant shift in the beauty industry over the last decade, with independent brands capturing more than 25 percent of the global market share. This shift has led to a surge in entrepreneurs, content creators, and beauty professionals seeking to establish their own brands, and Blanka's platform aims to fill this need.
Blanka showcased a case study involving makeup artist Genn Shaughnessy, who successfully launched her makeup line using the platform. The startup's strong customer service played a crucial role in her success.
The funding round comes after a year of steady growth for Blanka, during which it garnered over 20,000 sign-ups. This success is attributed to organic marketing efforts and integrations with partners like Shopify.
Prior to this seed funding, Blanka operated on bootstrapped resources, with a $50,000 USD investment received from Forum VC's accelerator program. The newly acquired capital will be directed towards marketing, growth initiatives, operational efficiencies, and expanding the technical team.
Blanka joins the ranks of companies providing private labeling services for cosmetics, catering to brands that target niche markets and specific fanbases. Other companies in this space include Toronto-based viaGlamour and American firm Pietra Studio.