K Beauty Distribution Company B2LiNK Acquires App Maker Picky Inc.

B2LiNK Corporation—a brand aggregator and Korean Beauty B2B distribution company—has acquired digital skincare app company Picky Inc. The deal is expected to close by the end of the month. 
 
As a B2B distribution company providing experience-based sales and marketing consultation, B2Link finds undervalued local brands with proven product market fit, and grooms them into global brands scaling into international markets. Founded in 2014, B2LiNK partners with more than 150 Korean cosmetics brands and 80+ online and offline distribution channels worldwide. 
 
To date, B2LiNK has extended its portfolio to include seven brands that have surpassed $30 million ARR in 2021. Its brand business has grown more than 300% growth for the past two years, with 90% of its revenue coming from outside South Korea. Its flagship brand, Skin1004 is expected to wrap up a successful 2021 with $25 million revenue and $4 million profit.
 
This new acquisition enables B2LiNK to bolster its leadership position and global lineup of beauty brands and helps Picky to leverage B2LiNK’s network and resources to further expand its strong community base and global reach, according to the companies.
 
“K-beauty is a global phenomenon. There is a seemingly endless pool of unique indie brands relevant for global beauty consumers, and we have access to established distribution channels to meet the demand for K-Beauty products everywhere,” said Nate Sohyung Lee, B2Link’s co-founder and CEO. “We’re helping K-Beauty products become much more accessible in more markets through our deep experience in the retail business and world-class global marketing team. With the Picky acquisition, we’ve strengthened our team and firmly established our No. 1 market position in Korea.”
 
As part of the acquisition, Picky Founder and CEO Jihong Lee will join B2LiNK as chief marketing officer and board member, leveraging his career experience that spans international roles with Google and Supercell. 
 
“In what has been a challenging time for startups worldwide, we’re proud to have gained an avid following of hundreds of thousands of regular users in our skincare community,” said Jihong Lee. “Our team set our sights on the global marketplace on day one, and the opportunity to keep that momentum going with the resources behind B2LiNK is the perfect match.”
 
Through this acquisition, Picky aims to build on its strong community base of more than 250,000 global users and growth throughout 2021. Its web and mobile app-based community has established itself as a top “every day” app for skincare enthusiasts worldwide, including those passionate about K-Beauty products. B2LiNK sees the synergy with Picky’s offerings as one that helps source up-and-coming brands looking to generate interest with skincare enthusiasts in the space, leveraging Picky’s proprietary data powered by its community.