Gem — AU to US Retail Launch

About the Client

Gem is a fast-growing Australian brand known for its elevated yet accessible personal care products, with particular success in the deodorant category. With strong domestic and UK momentum and a differentiated Gen-Z focused product proposition, the brand identified the US as a key next growth market but required clarity, structure, and senior oversight to execute a successful entry.

The Challenge

Entering the US market presented a complex set of challenges:

• A highly competitive category dominated by large, well-capitalised incumbents
• No existing operational infrastructure or retail footprint in the US
• The need to validate true market opportunity before committing to scale
• High execution risk across manufacturing, logistics, retail negotiations, and team build

Gem required a strategic partner who could both define the opportunity and own the execution

GLOWPATH’s Role

GLOWPATH was engaged in a fractional Head of North America capacity, leading Gem’s US expansion from strategy through to launch execution, while building the foundations for long-term growth.

Strategy Overview

GLOWPATH developed a structured, data-led expansion roadmap:

1. US market sizing and opportunity assessment to validate category potential
2. Retail channel strategy identifying the most viable entry points
3. Operational and manufacturing framework designed for scale
4. Phased launch roadmap balancing speed with commercial discipline

This approach ensured Gem entered the US with confidence, credibility, and control.

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Execution Details

GLOWPATH led the end-to-end expansion process, including:

• Comprehensive US market sizing and competitive analysis
• Retail partner identification, pitching, and negotiation
• Securing a major national retail partner for launch
• Sourcing and onboarding a US co-manufacturing partner
• Building US operational infrastructure and logistics pathways
• Leading marketing strategy and launch planning
• Hiring and onboarding Gem’s initial US team

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Results & Impact

• Positioned the brand for a confident US launch, with expansion already underway
• Secured a major national US retail partner (Walmart) to anchor Gem’s market entry
• Delivered a comprehensive US market sizing and opportunity assessment to validate long-term potential
• Established a scalable US manufacturing and supply chain setup to support growth, including onboarding and managing FDA approved end-to-end product development with two manufacturing partners in a 6month period  
• Built a repeatable operating and marketing model for future category and channel expansion
• Completed all critical pre-launch milestones, reducing execution risk

Key Takeaway

Gem’s US expansion highlights the importance of disciplined strategy paired with hands-on execution. By acting as an embedded international lead, GLOWPATH reduced risk, accelerated decision-making, and positioned the brand for confident entry into one of the world’s most competitive retail markets.

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