Japanese beauty giant Kosé is pushing into regionally rooted brands and the wellness space with the acquisition of Pañpuri, based in Bangkok. WHO: Founded in Thailand in 2003 by Vorravit Siripark, Pañpuri is a Thai luxury holistic wellness brand that uses herbs and essential oils recorded from the ancient Ayutthaya Kingdom that offers a traditional approach cultivating the five senses through scent and places importance on harmony between body, mind, and soul. Based on their own ingredient selection criteria, they use clean formulas that deliver noticeable effects. They offer fragrance, bath & body, skincare, and home fragrance products created by combining craftsmanship and modern technology. The brand has established a strong retail presence in luxury shopping malls, department stores, and high-end hotels and spas across Thailand, with recent expansion into Hong Kong planned for August 2024. It also maintains e-commerce operations serving customers in Japan, China, and Europe.The Kosé Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the third-largest cosmetics company in Japan and the second in the premium segment with a portfolio of 36 brands. The business has been managed by the Kobayashi family since it was established in 1946 by Kozaburo Kobayashi.WHY: This acquisition represents a significant step in Kosé's global expansion strategy, which is part of the Japanese beauty giant’s mid- to long-term strategy to “add regionally rooted brands” to achieve business growth globally.