NEW YORK — Nestled in the minimalist expanse of BJ’s Wholesale Club is a unique concept in mass-market beauty retailing. The big-box retailer aligned itself with a French contract manufacturer to develop an exclusive skin care line, called Altaire Paris.
BJ’s approach marks a change in strategy for the mass market. For four years, drugstore chains have attempted to inject exclusivity and cachet into their stores by adding established European brands, including IsaDora cosmetics (Walgreens), Swisso Logical skin care (Rite Aid) and Lumene and Boots beauty products (CVS).
BJ’s, however, has taken a less-traveled route to European territory. The Massachusetts-based retail club developed its collection of six items with French manufacturer Kelemata Group. The retailer’s executives recognized an opportunity in the beauty category, said BJ’s beauty care buyer Laurie Stucchi.
“Our core customer doesn’t have time to shop with us and then go to a department store for her beauty products,” said Stucchi.
Rather than pluck an established European brand, BJ’s wanted to have creative input to ensure the line would align with the tastes of its target consumer — well-educated “time-starved” mothers with high incomes.
“We probably could have brought in one of Kelemata’s lines,” said Stucchi, “But we wanted to take the product a step further and a step up.” Kelemata, owner of megabrands Perlier and Orlane, offered an ideal partnership, noted Stucchi. She added that by choosing a large manufacturer, BJ’s avoided the steep costs of development. Stucchi said Kelemata’s production capabilities made developing a brand from scratch just as cost effective as importing one.
The strategy has proved successful since its November launch, said Stucchi. Altaire Paris is on track to reach its $2 million first-year sales goal. Items in the line range in price from $12.99 for the Cream Cleanser and Firming Toner to $24.99 for the Time Fighting Eye Cream and Ageless Firming Face Serum. All six products are available in a trial-sized kit priced at $12.99 each. Stucchi noted that the set and the face serum are among the collection’s bestsellers, and added that BJ’s plans to expand the line.