Energie Fruit keen to become clean beauty benchmark in mass-market retail

French cosmetics brand Energie Fruit is keen to become the benchmark for clean beauty in mass-market retailers, with its range of organic cream deodorants, its ten-in-one miracle balm, and its hair serums enriched with vegetable collagen and vitamin B. Vying for space with the beauty and personal care sector’s giants, the independent French brand wants to impose its own vision of beauty: natural, transparent and innovative.

Energie Fruit, a small company with just under 20 employees, is relying on innovation to carve out a space for itself in a market dominated by major groups such as L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble. In 2021, Energie Fruit, distinctive for its colourful packaging, introduced B-Heart, an app secured by blockchain technology allowing consumers to find out more about its products: where and when they are produced, and their ingredients’ provenance.

Innovation is key for Energie Fruit, with products like the brand-new Concentré teinté sublimant (enhancing tinted concentrate), a tinted body cream without self-tanning agents, certified organic by Ecocert, and with ingredients that are 99% naturally sourced. “We do not work with pre-existing formulas, our products are made in France and our packaging in the European Union,” said Maxime Finaz de Villaine, managing director of Energie Fruit.  

Finaz de Villaine is a former L’Oréal executive who in 2019 bought French cosmetics distributor Bloomup, at the time close to bankruptcy. Bloomup was founded nine years earlier by Carol-Ann Lovera, who has since left the company, and Sophie Blin, its commercial director. It began by distributing foreign cosmetics brands in France, like Babyfoot, a Japanese foot mask specialist, and the Toni & Guy haircare line. In 2013, Bloomup launched its own brand, Energie Fruit. “We put a stop to the distribution business, and many things have changed within the brand,” said Finaz de Villaine.

Energie Fruit is now less active in the shower gel segment and is focusing more on haircare, to better adapt to the market and boost competitiveness. Three years ago, haircare accounted for 20% of its revenue, compared to 65% today, with nearly 25 products. “The shower gel category is characterised by high discounts and very generic products, with private-label brands cornering a significant market share,” said Finaz de Villaine. Energie Fruit is also focusing on body care, with products like the Concentré teinté sublimant (€6.90 for 100 ml).

The brand is commercialised via nearly 4,000 mass-market retailers, which account for 65% of its stable €10 million revenue. It is also present on e-tailers such as Amazon. Energie Fruit obtained B-Corp certification last year. France currently accounts for nearly 90% of its revenue, and the brand is also sold in drugstores in Switzerland and Belgium, and by French budget retailer Normal.