Nairian… Coming to A Store Near You?
When we first launched the Nairian brand in Yerevan in 2015, all natural skincare made entirely in Armenia from local, sustainably grown ingredients was a completely novel concept. There were some who said it was a crazy idea—and it was. But it was also just what Armenia needed.
Image caption: Here is a blast from the past, a shot of our storefront opening in downtown Yerevan back in 2015. We made quite a splash!
From the very start, we made a name for ourselves, challenging unhealthy beauty standards and unsustainable production practices that run rampant throughout the former Soviet Union, and offering a new vision for what business can look like.
Today, Nairian has emerged as a modern Armenian success story. We’re a premium, world class product, that is also ethical, farms sustainably and organically, and provides meaningful jobs and agricultural development for a village in Armenia, all the while combining the old and the new in Armenian culture. Our story of reinvention has even been told in Smithsonian Magazine.
Entering the American beauty market, however—where all natural brands are now a dime a dozen—has been a different story. In Armenia, years of hard work has made Nairian a household name. In the United States, we’re still a drop in an ocean of natural beauty.
Despite the challenge of being a small fish in a very large pond, over the last few years, we have slowly and surely watched our community of customers in the US grow.
Image caption: A photo from our earliest days in the US, back in 2017, when we popped up at the Artist & Fleas market in Brooklyn, New York! Featured here is our small, but mighty US team, husband-wife duo, Vahe and Karine. (Photo by Kohar Minassian)
Whether it’s members of the Armenian diaspora in the US purchasing our products to bring a piece of the homeland into their daily routines, or customers simply seeking a high quality, ethical alternative to corporate skincare options, we feel cautiously optimistic about our potential to establish Nairian as a go-to skincare brand here in America.
This is why we are launching a wholesale program for US retailers! As we continue to sell directly to customers through our e-commerce website, it is also important to us to develop relationships with local American businesses, who identify with our products and our mission, and who are interested in carrying our amazing skincare products on their shelves.
Through this program, retailers can purchase Nairian products by the case at exclusive wholesale rates and sell them through their channels.
Forming relationships with brick and mortar retailers is a high priority. Skincare is a physical medium, and people need spaces in the US where they can try our products before purchasing them.
So if you or someone you know is a business owner who is interested in carrying our line of all natural, made in Armenia skincare, please get in touch by emailing karine.vann@nairian.com. We are especially excited about partnering with Armenian-owned businesses.
Retailers can also find us on Faire.com, an online marketplace for independent retailers seeking specialty artisanal products, where we just launched a new store! Click the button below if you're a retailer and you'd like to start working with us on Faire.
And finally, if there’s anything we’ve learned over the last year, it’s that community is powerful. We are hoping customers will help spread word about Nairian to their favorite local businesses. Do you have stores you frequent that you think would make a great home for our skincare? Ask them to carry our products! Tell them our inspiring story! It really works. Keep pushing—word of mouth has a huge impact. And remember: Every bottle sold supports our workforce and sustainably operated farm in the village of Aragyugh. Thank you!