Small Business: Kiwi Skincare Company Anihana on the World Stage

Kiwi skincare company Anihana launched in the US and Australia last year after operating in Aotearoa for about a decade.

Founder Sophie Cooper says Target’s big box stores in the US keep the company profitable.
The New Zealand-based production team has been busy meeting US demand.

What does Anihana do?

We make people smile, happy and have fun with handcrafted, sustainable hair, bath and body products.

What made you start your business?

I’ve been a florist for 10 years and started working for a woman in the soap industry in New Zealand. So I was selling soap and bath bombs with flowers and fell in love with the product. One day, my boss said he wanted to sell his manufacturing business.

I jokingly said to my husband, “Would you like to buy it?” Two months later, we had a new baby and a new business. We rebranded to Anihana 18 months ago.

As a busy mom and new business owner, it’s been such a stressful time for me that my go-to way to spend “me time” at the end of the day is to jump in the bath with a bath bomb. So I wanted to help everyone else do that. As our business and children grew, so did our passion for sustainability, and we wanted to create beautiful products that were affordable and accessible.

Why did you name it Anihana?

Anihana is my daughter’s middle name, Bo Anihana Cooper, who was pregnant when we bought the business. So it’s a very special name for us and represents our strong family values ​​as a business.

What are you focusing on right now?

It’s been a journey from a few staff me and I were building products on our own, to leading a growing team and slowly letting go of different areas of the business. I also loved learning as much as I could.I’m also currently focusing on some fun stuff and creating and testing some new products.

What are the main challenges facing your business?

be able to meet demand. Some of our products have exceeded our expectations, especially the shower steamer from Target in the US. As such, we try to find ways to scale up our production while preserving the handcrafted elements and love we put into each product.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just ask a question and you’d be surprised how many people are willing to help and offer advice. You don’t have to do everything yourself. If so, it can be a lonely journey. And there is no such thing as a silly question. At Anihana we call them curious questions.

What are you focused on achieving through Anihana?

Bring joy to the world. Life is too short to find joy in the simple things, but do it in a sustainable way.

What are your future business prospects?

I would love to see Anihana grow further in the US and then expand into other major markets like the UK (where I was born).

Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air