Pakistan’s leading organic and natural skin and hair care brand “Conatural” has announced its Pre-Series A round of their investment as the Company raised a USD six-figure investment. It includes participation from Karavan that is a local venture capital firm and a group of experienced angel investors.
Significantly, this is one of the largest Pre Series A investment that is raised by a female-founded startup in Pakistan. It is also the very first capital raise of this type that is for a branded beauty startup in the country. The Company raised an important quantum that will be used to accelerate the growth of the Company, including the new product lines and also the channels, including online as well as for driving more sales into export markets.
Conatural, is a pioneer in branding and women-led organization, manufacturing and retailing of the natural and organic beauty products tailored to the South Asian all tone skin type. The founders, Ms. Myra Qureshi Jahangir and Ms. Rema Taseer’s vision for the brand, are to inspire, educate and empower the women. by providing beneficial beauty solutions to them toxic-free chemicals and to create beauty products both the safe and effective skin.
Natural & organic formulas are used along with no animal testing and the brand’s commitment to recycling. It is committed to almost 100% with all-natural ethos. The Company also focuses on the dermatological results and the credentials and sourcing certified and very high-quality ingredients. The Conatural sells online and in its physical stores that are at Emporium Mall and the Packages Mall in Lahore city, as through high-end retailers throughout Pakistan, and they also export products.
Conatural is the new vogue in Pakistan’s natural beauty brand, and it has over half a million followers on various social media platforms. As a women-led organization, the aim is to inspire and empower women and to provide opportunities to all women in the workplace with almost 50% female-based staff. The factory premises are all ISO 22716, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified since inception.
Conatural has also experienced industry-leading revenue growth that is capitalizing on the large addressable market place, and the demand for these natural and organic products is high. The Company and its founders have been recognized by many numbers of third parties. However like, Conatural in the UK was awarded by the “Best Emerging Organic Personal Care Wholesaler of UK” under the awards of 2020 Health, Beauty & Wellness Awards. And in 2019, Myra Qureshi, who is the CEO of Conatural won a LADIESFUND Trailblazer Award for her services to organic beauty.
The leading investor for the brand in the round, Weihan Liew, who is a serial entrepreneur and an angel investor, also commented that “Over the last decade, there have been multiple examples throughout in Asia of local champions winning in this domain of cosmetics and beauty products market and they are successfully competing with the global giants.
Everyone believes that Myra and Rema, being the top-notched entrepreneurs with their proven track records, will definitely create the next-generation of the leading local beauty brand in Pakistan by giving their attention to maintaining high-quality retail and marketing expertise and also the savvy use of technology.”
Mikaeel Habib, who also represents the i5 Capital, also commented that “Here are the two dynamic sisters who are driving to change the beauty landscape in the country, Pakistan. It is a women-led organization that focuses on women empowerment by creating jobs for them.
Conatural has also launched its campaigns for raising awareness on the detriments of skin bleaching, and that is against such kind of culture-based type advertising. The Company is well-positioned to take advantage of this rapid growth in the beauty health sector of Pakistan that is growing at an annual rate of around 13%.” I am very excited about this journey ahead!” said Zaki Sumar, who is a partner at Ernst and Young and also an angel investor.
This funding will be used for the Conatural’s continued product development and also for retail expansion. Founders said, “We will continue to make the Conatural as the best product experience in the field of the natural and organic beauty and to emerge as the pioneer and also as a market leader. Rema Taseer, co-founder of Conatural said, “We are proud to be a partner with strategic investors who also share our vision and effectively look forward to building a clear brand that will base on the Company’s ethos.”
