Marque of Brands
Starting as a small business operating from a spare bedroom, Marque of Brands, now known as MARQ Labs, has grown into a global success, manufacturing a range of personal care products.
Need
To expand the business globally, Marque of Brands needed a financial solution that supported its working capital for international contracts and to set up offices around the world.
Solution
We have supported Marque of Brands since 2013, providing multiple loans to support its growth into new markets, including our Export Line of Credit and Export Contract Loan.
When Marque of Brands outgrew its third warehouse in Australia, co-founders Cameron Campbell and Kirstie Kirkham knew it was time to explore global opportunities, which is when our financing solutions were able to support.
Starting in 2013 as a big dream and a small business, Marque of Brands was brought to life in a spare bedroom where Cameron and Kirstie decided to begin selling some personal care products in the self-tanning sector.
Export Finance Australia worked for us because they believed in our journey, and they were a true partner sitting side by side with us with the vision of what we were looking to do.
Cameron Campbell
Co-Founder and President, MARQ Labs
Today, Marque of Brands has evolved into a global cosmetics brand, now known as MARQ Labs, with office locations in Australia, USA, Europe, the UK and China.
MARQ Labs produces skincare, sunless tanning, personal care and pet care products. In addition to manufacturing and selling its own products, the team partners with individuals and smaller business to assist them with product formulation, branding and packaging, navigating retailer and distribution relationships and launching new products into the market.
“We started exporting very early,” Cameron said. “We saw that, while Australia is a tremendous market and somewhere where we could test and develop culture and build our brand, that really, the opportunity was global.”
As the business began to explore opportunities into new markets and ship product abroad, it became more challenging to secure finance from commercial banks.
Finance to support a global scale up
“The hurdles of providing funding for us were met differently and were based around the needs of the business by Export Finance Australia.”
We have provided our financial support to MARQ Labs right throughout its exporting experience. What began as a small single loan for a contract with a large retailer in the UK, progressed into a 10-year journey and 10 further loans to support the growth of the business over this time. This has included loans to support the building of infrastructure, warehousing, distribution, inventory and teams of people, right through to funding its online business in mass retail.
“Looking back now, without Export Finance Australia, we wouldn't have been able to do any of it,” Cameron said.
Reflecting on the journey, Cameron shared that the experience of exporting came with many challenges, but also learning opportunities that have supported the business to grow into the global success it is today.
“Every step of the way is a challenge or learning curve. And you have to adapt and learn incredibly quickly. One way is not always the right way. You have to continue to develop different pathways to export in your markets.”
“We're now becoming one of the fastest growing and largest personal care manufacturers, distributors and brand owners in the world.”
