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Kosmetika Smuts

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

ICE Beauty Group is one of the fastest growing beauty and skincare distributors in the Nordic region. From 2010 until today, the company has had the rare ability to challenge industry standards and dare to think outside the box. A culture of success that is ingrained in the company's walls and that was rewarded in 2024 with a Gazelle Award from Dagens Industri. Now it's time to take the next step.

The story of the ICE Beauty Group begins in a somewhat unexpected place – and with an unexpected protagonist. In the mid-2000s, Andy Johnsson was a promising professional golfer with the world at his feet. But something else had begun to occupy his thoughts.

"I was travelling a lot and playing tournaments, about 40 weeks a year. On my travels I often came across exciting beauty brands that were not available in the Nordic countries. Products with their own unique niche and history. I've always been fascinated by that," - says Andy.

After trying to combine golf with business studies in South Africa, he soon found himself at a crossroads. At the age of 24, he decided to hang up his golf clubs. He had a very different goal in mind.

Golfbana Flygfoton
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In 2010, Andy founded ICE Beauty Group

BUILT FROM SCRATCH

In 2010, ICE Beauty Group was founded, whose business model then, as now, was to provide a strong distribution platform for international beauty brands looking to enter the Nordic market.

"In the beginning, the company was probably seen as a bit of an odd bird. We were men in a female-dominated industry, but that also made us stand out. Also, a lot of retailers were interested because we dared to think in new ways right from the start. Maybe because we had nothing else to compare it to. Sometimes that's what it takes to break the mould."

ICE started with make-up brands before adding skincare, fragrance and hair care brands. "In the early years, my business partner and I did everything ourselves such as sales, copywriting, orders and logistics as well as marketing. Thankfully, we have been able to recruit and build a strong team, making me focus more on sales & brand strategy.  The main thing that took a lot of time in the early years was building a wide distribution network." Nothing was left to chance.

"I travelled from customer to customer. First in Sweden, then Norway, Finland and finally Denmark. I could be on the road for weeks at a time. But all the hard work has paid off. Today we supply products to over 4,000 stores in the Nordic region and I've met almost everyone who runs them personally. As a result, we have built great relationships with our retailers.”

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Light streams in through the large windows of ICE Beauty Group's airy, modern offices in the heart of Stockholm.

"Whatever I'm involved in, I'm a competitive person. When we started ICE, it was an obvious goal to become one of the best companies in the industry" - says Andy.

Along a long wall of shelves in ICE's large showroom, products from several best-selling brands such as Sol de Janeiro, Juliette has a gun, Bulldog and Burt's Bees are beautifully displayed, all of which have been given a strong platform in the Nordic region through ICE's exclusive distribution rights.

"We are the extended arm of the brands in the Nordic countries. We do everything from setting up a marketing plan to stocking, distribution and developing a sales plan," - says Andy.

This holistic approach is a major reason for ICE Beauty Group's success, as well as the consistent and creative implementation of its strategies.

 

"Thanks to our extensive network of contacts and our ability to tailor solutions, more and more exciting brands are coming to us. It also means that retailers are quick to follow. They know we can make a difference."

When you do something well, word spreads fast. Today, many international brands are knocking on the door to collaborate. Some are well-known, others smaller but with great potential.

"We are sensitive to trends in the Nordic region. If a brand works here, there's a good chance it will do well elsewhere. That's why a lot of companies use the Nordic region as a test market, before moving on to Europe. It's almost impossible to do this without an established distribution platform."

And that's where ICE Beauty Group comes in. "We know the Nordic market, we know the practicalities, we work with all leading retail chains, and we know how to build brands. But we also know how to deal with the complexity of customs, four different currencies, four different languages as well as four different legal systems that the Nordic market requires".

ABOUT

LIVES:
Birger Jarlsgatan, Stockholm.

FAMILY:
Sophia (wife) and son Marlon.

DOES:
CEO and founder of ICE Beauty Group.

BACKGROUND:
Former professional golfer on the Canadian Tour. Studied business management and entrepreneurship in Durban, South Africa.

HIDDEN TALENT:
Plays guitar, piano and sings.

 

INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE:
Nelson Mandela and Richard Branson.

 

FAVOURITE PRODUCT:
Burt's Bees Beeswax lip balm.

 

GOLF HANDICAP:
0.

"I think we're hungrier than most companies and a little more agile. It's an attitude that's deeply rooted in our culture.”

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CREATIVE UNDERDOG

Early on, Andy and his team realised the importance of creating emotional value around the products that connects with the target audience, and of course in a smart conceptual environment. Like when they commissioned a mural of over 100 square metres in the centre of Stockholm for Sol de Janeiro. And then in the evening they had a big launch party in the restaurant next door with a local ambassador profile.

Succeeding in an increasingly competitive market is something that drives the more than 30 employees at ICE Beauty Group. "I think we're hungrier than many others and a little more agile. It's an attitude that is deeply rooted in our culture. Here you are given a lot of responsibility." At the same time, he stresses the importance of maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of the underdog.

 

"New ideas and thoughts must be given free rein. We are a challenger, and as such you have to be constantly on your toes." 

 

The drive of that past golf career is evident. "My years as a professional golfer taught me to be focused, meticulous and stubborn as sin in order to achieve success. It's a mindset I bring to ICE."

"All our brands have a history and a unique niche. It is up to us to manage this heritage. So, we must have brands that we believe in and want to invest in. Our mission is to keep them as they are but adapt them to the Nordic market and create a buzz around them."

"New ideas and thoughts must be given free rein. We are a challenger, and as such you have to be constantly on your toes." 

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