When one soap becomes a bigger business: Kojie.san at 20
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A single product can establish a brand. Building an enduring business around it is another challenge altogether.
For Kojie.san, the journey from its signature kojic acid soap to a broader portfolio of beauty and personal care products marks 20 years of evolving with consumers.
For Beauty Elements Ventures, Inc. (BEVi), the company behind the Filipino beauty brand, the milestone also raises a bigger question: How can a business built on one familiar product create opportunities beyond its original category?
At its anniversary celebration, The Icon Turns 20, the company offered a glimpse of its answer through new product launches, expanded brand portfolios and a digital marketplace that reaches beyond beauty.
For founder, president, and CEO Jazz Burila, the journey has been built on the trust of consumers and the people behind the business.
“Millions of small moments, repeated over twenty years, become something much bigger. They become trust. And trust is something no company can manufacture. It has to be earned, again and again,” she says.
Beyond the signature soap
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Kojie.san's evolution reflects an effort to respond to a wider range of skincare and personal care needs.
Kojie.san Men unveiled a refreshed identity and expanded lineup, while Kojie.san Sun Protect continues to emphasize sun protection as part of everyday routines. DreamWhite by Kojie.san and Diamond Skin further develop the company's skincare portfolio.
BEVi also introduced developments across its other brands.
Bio Camilo Hair and Scalp Care addresses hair and scalp concerns, while Cacay Cure Exponential Care offers botanical skincare powered by cacay oil. Freshly Piqued ventures into fragrances with four scent profiles inspired by familiar fruits.
Defensil, meanwhile, expanded its everyday germ protection range and introduced television host Kuya Kim Atienza as its newest brand ambassador.
Behind these launches is a business that has grown beyond product development.
Beauty Elements Ventures Manufacturing Inc. (BEVMi), led by president Reginald I. Burila, supports the group through its manufacturing capabilities, while other businesses extend its reach into distribution, e-commerce, and international markets.
The challenge is not simply to introduce more products, but to build the capabilities that allow different brands to reach consumers and grow.
A new frontier beyond beauty
That ambition is reflected in qloud, BEVi's newly introduced digital ecosystem and curated marketplace spanning beauty, fashion, wellness, lifestyle, and consumer products.
The platform signals an interest in connecting consumers with a broader range of offerings beyond traditional beauty and personal care. It also opens a new dimension to the company's growth story, although its long-term role will depend on how the venture develops.
For BEVi, the opportunity is to build on its experience in developing consumer brands while exploring new ways to reach its markets.
“The next twenty years are about taking everything we have learned and built, and bringing it even further. More than anything, we hope that what we started will continue to grow, inspire new possibilities, and be carried forward by the generations that come after us,” Burila says.
The anniversary celebration brought this forward-looking direction to life through performances by world-renowned aerialist Mizuki Shinagawa, featured in Kojie.san's Command Your Rise campaign, alongside singers Gigi De Lana and Jed Madela, and Drag Race Philippines Season 3 drag superstar Maxie Andreison.
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Editor's note: BrandedUp is designed to provide you with insightful, inspiring, and educational content created by The Philippine STAR in collaboration with brands like Kojie.san PH.
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