Arches helped a leading Japanese skincare brand navigate its ASEAN market expansion. Fresh off successes in the U.S. and China, the brand faced a tough question: which market to enter first? With research and expert insights, Arches pinpointed the markets with the strongest growth potential.

Challenge:

A client of Arches is a Japanese skincare brand with a strong market share at home and successful expansions into the U.S. and China, setting its sights on the ASEAN market.

Their challenge: with six diverse markets – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – which country should they prioritize for entry?

Arches’ Approach:

• Market Research (Desk + Field Research):
  
  • Compared the skincare market size, growth rates, and category dynamics across six countries.
    
  • Analyzed recent consumer trends.
    
  • Conducted field research through local staff, observing major retail channels, e-commerce platforms, and product displays.
    
• Competitor Analysis (Desk Research + Expert Interviews):
  

Tracked market share shifts of leading skincare brands in each country.

• Benchmarked client products against global, regional, and local competitors.
  
• Interviewed experts to assess competitor performance, hot-selling SKUs, marketing strategies, promotion methods, and distribution networks.
  

Outcome

Arches delivered a prioritized roadmap across 6 ASEAN markets, highlighting the top 2 countries with the strongest growth potential and competitive advantages. We developed tailored entry hypotheses for each market and built 15+ partner longlists in high-priority countries. With ongoing matchmaking support, the client moved forward with greater clarity and confidence in their ASEAN expansion strategy.