CJ Olive Young, referred to as Olive Young, has announced the launch of the third phase of its collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to support the growth of promising small brands through the 'K-Super Rookie with Young' initiative.
Since its inception in 2024, the 'K-Super Rookie with Young' program has become a prominent public-private partnership model aimed at fostering sustainable growth for emerging brands. Olive Young has leveraged its online and offline infrastructure, combined with its data analytics capabilities, to serve as a practical growth platform. The initiative goes beyond mere market-entry opportunities, offering comprehensive support that facilitates the brand-building process for new companies struggling to secure customer touchpoints.
The program has already demonstrated tangible benefits for selected brands. For instance, the premium home care brand 'House of B' has expanded its competitive edge by participating in the program, broadening its distribution across both domestic and international channels. The brand successfully established itself in Olive Young’s domestic stores and global mall, including its new location in Pasadena, California, which opened in May.
Each year, Olive Young is progressively increasing the scale and scope of the program. The inaugural phase featured 20 participating companies, which has expanded to 30 this year. Notably, this third cycle selects companies through a process that aligns with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ K-Export Strategy program, thereby integrating promising companies as verified by the government. This collaboration is intended to provide administrative and financial support from the government to assist high-potential companies in their export endeavors, while Olive Young offers its retail infrastructure and marketing expertise to facilitate their rapid market establishment.
This phase is characterized by a stepwise approach that begins with market validation in domestic offline commercial zones and extends to securing global distribution channels. Initially, the selected companies will be showcased for six weeks at product introduction corners called ‘Olyoung New Arrivals’ across 23 key Olive Young stores, including Gangnam Town and Seomyeon Town. Following this introduction, comprehensive evaluations of customer feedback, sales performance, and growth potential will dictate a focused nurturing program for the top ten brands.
Companies selected for focused nurturing will receive an integrated distribution expansion program that connects domestic and international channels, facilitating their entry into global markets. Olive Young is set to support sales through its domestic online mall and the 'Olive Young Global Mall' from November 16 until the end of the year.
In addition to this, Olive Young will provide robust marketing support, including online exhibition of 'Olyoung New Arrivals,' live commerce via 'Olyoung Live,' and the production of promotional content. After the program concludes, tailored consulting based on accumulated sales data will be offered to empower brands to thrive in a competitive market.
A representative from Olive Young stated, “The essence of this program is to help potential new brands establish a foothold and enhance their market presence. Through 'K-Super Rookie with Young,' we aim to support small brands in building competitiveness on a global stage, contributing to a healthy and sustainable cycle within the K-beauty ecosystem.”
