EMDG helps endota take its wellness experiences to the world

endota is Australia’s largest wellness network of day spas and award-winning skincare. The company is famous for treatments that nourish and nurture your mind, body and skin.

Founded in 2000 by Melanie Gleeson, the endota team is 95% female. They aim to inspire others to connect with themselves, live consciously and give back wherever possible.

Austrade is proud to support endota’s export journey through its Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program. The company exports its treatment protocols and skincare products around the world. It recently bought 9 spas in New Zealand.

EMDG helps take Australian wellness global

EMDG assists Australian businesses to grow their exports in international markets. The program provides funding to help them promote their goods and services globally.

endota is on its fifth grant with EMDG. The company says the grant helps the business focus its export activity in select markets. It also helps endota undertake direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce research.

‘EMDG funding has given us the opportunity to invest in research as a critical step in our international growth,’ says endota Export Manager, Yufang Mao.

‘Knowing that EMDG covers a portion of the costs gives us confidence to use the funds in further export promotional activity. EMDG has supported us in making our export marketing budget go further.’

New EMDG process helps align export strategy with export spend

This year has been endota’s first experience with the new EMDG application process, introduced in 2021.

‘The new process has helped better align our export strategy to our export spend,’ Yufang says.

‘Being able to identify and plan our export marketing spend in targeted activities and knowing EMDG will assist with a portion of the cost has been a very welcome addition to the program.

‘We see the EMDG program as a resource for businesses to draw on, to make our export marketing dollar go further.

‘We do not rely on the EMDG program as a means of covering costs, but as a bonus that allows us to undertake additional export marketing.’

What’s next for endota

endota is an experiential brand. It is evaluating alternative strategies for market entry that focus on the endota experience.

The DTC e-commerce research has helped endota understand key markets to target. The research has also shown the level of investment needed to support a launch and build infrastructure.

‘As a business with aspirations of growing internationally to be the world’s most loved wellness brand, we are appreciative of Austrade’s ongoing support in both the export market development grant, as well as the team of Austrade representatives in overseas markets that provide us support,’ Yufang says.