PARIS — Natural, refillable, by-subscription skin care and hygiene brand 900.care has raised 21 million euros.
The funding round was led by Lombard Odier Investment Managers, alongside 900.care historic investors White Star Capital, Swen Blue Ocean and Founders Future.
With the new funds the French brand’s founders Aymeric Grange and Thomas Arnaudo plan to step up 900.care’s internationalization in neighboring countries after successfully entering Belgium and Switzerland.
The duo launched the brand in 2021 with the aim of converting consumers to refillable natural hygiene and care products, therefore eschewing single-use plastic. The natural products range from shower gels, toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo to laundry and dishwashing tablets.
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The products, which are made in France, were beta-tested by more than 10,000 people. Everything is sold by subscription. Twenty days after ordering a trial kit, refills are sent to a person’s mailbox. They then can choose the frequency of reorders according to their need.
By year-end 2024 Grange and Arnaudo plan for 900.care to be profitable. And they expect the brand to generate sales of 100 million euros within three years.
The company has sales of 10 million euros a year and counts more than 235,000 active subscriptions and 25 employees in France. Thanks to the use of its products since launch, more than 4 million pieces of plastic waste have been avoided, 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide were saved, and more than 500,000 liters of water did not need to be transported, according to the company.
“900.care represents precisely the type of model that seems promising for the future, since the brand offers a virtuous model, minimizing plastic production,” said Victoire Carous, comanager of plastic circularity strategy at Lombard Odier Investment Managers, in a statement.
“We are proud to support a company that fights to have the most accessible price positioning possible, which contributes to increase its positive impact on the planet and its oceans,” said Mélanie Le Guen, principal at Swen Blue Ocean.
A shower gel trial kit is 2.49 euros, while an “essentials kit” containing a shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and hand soap goes for 8.31 euros, for instance.
In July 2021, 900.care raised 10 million euros to help increase its investment in research and development, recruit new employees and speed communication. That seed round was backed by White Star Capital, Founders Future, 360 Capital and business angels.