With the Southeast Asia beauty market currently valued at $5.6bn and projected to hit $38bn by 2027, the region is extremely attractive for global brands.
But as beauty brands eye expansion into fast-growing Southeast Asian markets, the path to scaling internationally is not always smooth.
While consumer demand, digital adoption and a youthful population are fueling opportunities across the region, legal infrastructure can present serious, and often underestimated, risks.
A recent legal dispute involving Chinese beauty brand Florasis demonstrates what is at stake.
Before the company had launched operations in Indonesia, an opportunistic third party had already registered the Florasis trademark locally.
This meant the brand was legally barred from using its own name and products in the Indonesian market, a market it had invested in and prepared for.
It took a lengthy, resource-intensive legal battle for Florasis to reclaim its rights, delaying entry, denting momentum, and distracting from core commercial priorities.
However, the fight was a success, Florasis won, and in doing so, highlighted some key learnings for other beauty brands looking to expand their footprints.
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