Zuru Group: The Toy Giant Reshaping the Beauty Industry with a $1B Empire
There’s a new player in the beauty industry, and it’s not who you’d expect. Zuru Group, a New Zealand-based toy conglomerate, is making waves with its disruptive approach. Known for brands like Monday Haircare and Daise, Zuru has leveraged its manufacturing prowess and retailer relationships to build a $1 billion beauty empire under the leadership of one visionary woman.
Monday Haircare, the brainchild of Jaimee Lupton, was launched in 2019 with the support of Zuru co-founder Nick Mowbray. The brand’s unique selling proposition? Salon-quality haircare products at drugstore prices. The strategy paid off. Within four weeks of launching in New Zealand and Australia, Monday Haircare captured a 26% share of the mass hair-care market, outperforming the then-market leader, Pantene. Today, the brand is a staple in major retailers like Walmart, Target, CVS, Costco, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, ASOS, Tesco, and Boots, reaching over 26 countries worldwide.
Monday Haircare’s products, enriched with natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, rice protein, and vitamin E, are priced at just $8 for a 12-ounce bottle. This pricing strategy has made luxury hair care accessible to a broader audience. The brand’s popularity extends to social media, where it has become TikTok’s most followed haircare label, boasting over 14 million likes.
But Zuru isn’t stopping at hair care. Under Lupton’s guidance, the company’s beauty division is expanding its portfolio of personal care brands, aiming to compete with the world’s largest beauty conglomerates.
Source: Business of Fashion — How a New Zealand Toymaker Became a Beauty Challenger (August 18, 2026)