Global brand builder The Founders announced on the 10th that it achieved record revenue of 717.7 billion KRW and an operating profit of 129.5 billion KRW for the year 2025. This represents approximately a 68% increase year-over-year, suggesting a robust growth trajectory particularly in North America, where the company continues to expand rapidly, achieving over threefold growth annually since its entry in 2022.

The surge in revenue is largely attributed to the competitive strength of its flagship brand, Anua. The brand's 'Houttuynia Cordata Toner' has notably won the 'Toner/Mist' category at the 2025 Olive Young Awards for five consecutive years, underlining its market traction. Additional award-winning products include the 'PDRN Serum (MD's Pick)' and the 'TXA Serum (Global Trend)', displaying Anua's pivotal role in the company's performance.

Market research from Euromonitor indicates that Anua ranks 3rd in both the cleansing and toner categories on Amazon USA, while achieving a top 10 position in skincare sets. Notably, Anua leads K-beauty brands in the cleansing and skincare set sectors, confirming its competitive positioning across essential skincare products.

In Japan, the brand has solidified its presence through strong performance on the e-commerce platform Qoo10 Japan, where it achieved the highest cumulative sales for four consecutive quarters. Furthermore, Anua's 'Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum' was awarded the grand prize at the 2025 Qoo10 Mega Beauty Awards, demonstrating its appeal in a competitive landscape. The brand also led live shopping segments, capitalizing on the burgeoning K-beauty trend in Japan.

This validated success in key markets is fueling portfolio diversification for The Founders, as Anua applies its accumulated product and marketing expertise in new markets, including Europe. The company’s dermo haircare brand, From Labs, also clinched the top position at the Hwahae Beauty Awards, while the pet lifestyle brand Project 21 expanded its lineup. This multi-brand growth strategy not only broadens market reach but also creates opportunities for talent to excel within specialized areas.

Underlying these achievements is a management strategy that regards talent as a core asset for growth. The Founders have actively strengthened organizational capabilities by recruiting interns, experienced professionals, and leaders across all business areas including marketing, sales, product planning, supply chain management (SCM), and finance. Following the hiring of over 200 new employees last year, the company is currently seeking to fill more than 160 positions globally, an indication of its intent to scale operational capabilities significantly.

A spokesperson from The Founders remarked, "The year 2025 has proven our structural growth through product competitiveness and proactive talent investment. We will continue to solidify our business foundations for sustainable growth on the global stage by securing excellent personnel," reflecting the company's strategic focus on human capital as a key driver of operational success.