Launch Date: July 2021
Geography: Auckland, New Zealand
Founder: Sophie Cooper, Founder + Smile Director
Executive Team:
Advisor: Ali Sedcole, Board Chair
2025 Full Year Projected Revenue: $8M - $10M, according to industry estimates
Primary Category: Personal Care
Other Categories:
Funding: Venture Debt
Primary Distribution Channel: Mass
Other Distribution Channels:
Key Retail Partners:
2025 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 5,000
Anihana began with a leap of faith. Eight months pregnant, Sophie Cooper bought a soap factory, driven by a simple but powerful idea: that self-care should spark joy, be accessible to everyone, and protect the planet we share. A moment for people to have a little "me time."
From those early days, Anihana has grown into a vibrant brand delivering clean, sustainable bath, body, and hair essentials, all wrapped in compostable packaging and bursting with color and fun. Built on courage, creativity, and care, Anihana invites people to find moments of joy in the everyday and to feel good knowing their choices make a difference. Because better beauty isn’t just possible, it’s essential.
Insights: Sophie Cooper, Founder + Smile Director
Why now and why you?
The beauty industry is at a crossroads. Consumers are tired of choosing between sustainability, affordability, and joy. They want products that align with their values without sacrificing experience. Anihana is answering that call by offering vibrant, planet-friendly self-care at an accessible price, exactly when the world needs optimism, authenticity, and action the most.
Anihana exists because we dared to do things differently. I took a bold leap, buying a soap factory eight months pregnant, to build a brand rooted in courage, creativity, and care. We blend sustainability with fun, purpose with play, and we're proving that "better beauty" doesn’t have to be boring or out of reach. We’re not just riding the wave, we’re shaping the future, and we are so ready for the next step.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Anihana makes self-care simple, joyful, and sustainable, without compromise. As a busy mum when I founded Anihana, I knew how hard it was to carve out moments for yourself. That fuels everything we create: accessible, colorful products that turn everyday routines into feel-good rituals.
Our unique blend of hands-on manufacturing expertise, clean ingredients, and sustainable packaging lets us innovate faster and scale smarter.
What are you most proud of accomplishing to date?
I'm most proud of building a brand that creates real impact—not just for our customers, but for our team. Growing Anihana has meant creating jobs, supporting families, and proudly paying a living wage. Building a company where people feel valued, supported, and excited to come to work every day is my greatest accomplishment.
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?
I wish someone had told me to connect with other founders earlier. Building a business can be an incredibly lonely journey, and having a network of people who understand the highs and lows makes all the difference. Finding that community earlier would have given me more support, perspective, and energy along the way.
What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?
I would say "Celebrate the small wins. You’ll be so focused on what’s next that you’ll forget how far you’ve come. Pause. Be proud. Every step matters."
What does success look like in the next 3-5 years?
Success means bringing Anihana’s mission to life: creating 100 million smiles by 2028. We want Anihana to be a global brand, making self-care joyful, accessible, and sustainable for people around the world. Expanding into new countries, building strong partnerships, and staying true to our values as we grow are all key to how we define success.
What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked?
The word sustainable is overhyped. Sustainability shouldn’t be a marketing tool; it should be a hygiene factor for brands. Consumers expect it as the baseline, not the differentiator. Brands need to move beyond buzzwords and show real proof and purpose.
What’s being overlooked is emotional connection. In a crowded, claims-driven market, brands that create genuine moments of joy, escapism, and everyday self-care are standing out. Consumers aren’t just looking for products that are "better"; they’re looking for brands that make them feel something.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve?
In five years, I hope the beauty industry looks more human, more joyful, and more honest. I want to see sustainability as a baseline, not a marketing tool. I want to see brands focus less on selling perfection and more on celebrating real people, real moments, and real impact.
Self-care should feel good, not pressured, not complicated. The brands that win will be the ones that build trust through transparency, create products that fit real lives, and spread joy in a way that’s accessible to everyone, everywhere.
If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?
I would love to find an incredible investor for Anihana—someone who believes that building a joyful, sustainable brand that spreads 100 million smiles is worth backing. We’re not just looking for funding; we’re looking for a true partner who shares our vision and can help us in our next phase of growth.
