Holland & Barrett have been supplying customers with a range of vitamins and health supplements and food products for over 150 years. After seeing success in the U.S., Holland & Barrett decided to sell their supplements internationally, including entering the China market.

Finding a Trusted Trade Partner to Expand to China Marketplaces

Holland & Barrett were looking for a trusted trade partner to enable their entry into China. They wanted to be able to retain control of their brand and activities within the China market, entering cautiously, but in a way that would ensure steady and strong growth. Holland & Barrett searched for a trade partner who would help them succeed in the following areas: brand control and regional expertise.

• Brand Control: Holland & Barrett needed a trusted trade partner who would allow them to retain control of their brand in market, and provide visibility on activities and sales data.
• Regional Expertise: Holland & Barrett needed a deeper understanding of ecommerce operations in China and the Tmall Global platform to ensure sales growth.

Choosing Pattern as a Trade Partner

When searching for a trade partner to re-enter the China market, Holland & Barrett chose Pattern due to our expertise trading on Tmall and insights about the China market. Pattern’s multi-country support, with brand managers in the UK as well as an executing team in China to provide the local insights was of huge benefit to Holland & Barrett from an operational standpoint. The transparent sharing of sales data and optimisation opportunities enabled Holland & Barrett to quickly accelerate sales, and expand within the market.

50% YOY Growth 2 Years in a Row in China Market

Partnering with Patterns saw Holland & Barrett achieved an average 50% YOY growth for the past two years in the China market. The use of more than 900 KOLs to promote their products within China has helped to establish Holland & Barrett as a respected heritage British brand. Pattern’s data-driven approach helped to identify new hero products within the market, and drive considerable sales growth through both in & out-channel promotions. Other results include the following:

• Increased Brand Control
  • Regained control of brand story and products in market.
  • Established the brand as a British heritage brand in China.
  • Identified 3 new top SKUs for China market through data insights.
• Growing Revenue
  • Grew China revenue by 45% YOY 2021-2022.
  • Increased Singles' Day sales by 54% YOY 2021-2022.
  • Sold more than 4000 units monthly from top 3 SKUs.

Looking for a Trusted Trade Partner for the China Market?

Whether your brand, like Holland & Barrett, is seeking better brand control and regional expertise for expanding internationally, or you are seeking ways to improve your Tmall storefront and increase conversions, Pattern can help. With experts in the APAC region, Pattern knows what brands should focus on to achieve the success they’re hoping for. Discover what you’ve been missing from an ecommerce solutions company by chatting with us today. Our marketplace growth experts will walk you through our ecommerce business solutions for you as a Pattern partner.