Herb & Root Makes Scents Convenient To Purchase At Grocery Stores

Herb & Root is betting consumers want to pick up perfume and paper towels in the same grocery trip.

The Austin-based niche fragrance brand has introduced 17 stockkeeping units, including Attar of Roses perfume oil and Eau de Provence eau de parfum, at 150 stores of the San Antonio-based supermarket chain H-E-B. Herb & Root plans to further increase its reach in the grocery segment, and retailers such as Hy-Vee and Erewhon are on its distribution bucket list.

“We’re looking for folks that allow us to meet customers where they go regularly,” says Julia Kahlig-Garuba, who founded Herb & Root with her husband Waziri Garuba. Speaking of H-E-B, she adds, “They are innovative, and they really know what their customers are looking for, especially when it comes to the beauty aisle. They’re a Texas brand, we’re a Texas brand, and they really champion local brands.”

Herb & Root projects it will generate over $1 million in revenues this year, and its year-over-year sales have climbed 32%. It expects to enlarge its assortment of body care and wellness items and is eyeing Latin America and Asia for geographic expansion. Kahlig-Garuba says, “There are a lot of places in the world where the fragrance market is not so developed and competitive, and those are good places for us to go.”

In the United States, Herb & Root believes grocery stores’ convenience is an advantage for it, and grocers have a chance to seize upon the hot fragrance category in a way they haven’t traditionally done. With a 12% jump, fragrance was the fastest-growing category in prestige beauty for the first half of this year, according to market research firm Circana.

However, mass fragrance sales slipped 1%. Still, consumers are showing considerable interest in affordable fragrance formats. In the first half of this year, Circana reports sales of body mists and sprays with average prices under $25 more than doubled from the like period last year. Herb & Root’s fragrances are priced at $25 and under.

“Shoppers are consolidating their spending into as few transactions as possible, and grocery stores are well positioned to be the one-stop destination for all of their customers’ needs, including fragrance,” says Garuba. Kahlig-Garuba chimes in, “Given the continuing cost of the living crisis, this provides a great opportunity for grocery stores to fill the void for budget-friendly fragrances that customers are searching for.”

Launched in 2013 with $5,000, self-funded Herb & Root was inspired by Kahlig-Garuba’s visits to souks in the Middle East and North Africa. “These areas are really the cradle of all of this ancient trade that’s fragrance and spice related,” she says. “It’s a crossroads of all of these different cultures and regions and has this rich history.”

“People have been loyal to us the whole 11 years we’ve been in business.”

Containing rose and sandalwood, Attar of Roses was Herb & Root’s initial fragrance, and it’s a bestseller for the brand. “People are looking for something simple and they like the story behind it,” says Kahlig-Garuba. “I find that people from that region of the world where it originated, which is Northern India and Pakistan, are like, ‘Oh, this reminds me of home.’ It’s linked to their memories, so it really resonates with a lot of people.”

Silk Road, a scent featuring saffron, pink pepper and cardamom; Moon Flower, a floral-forward perfume with jasmine, tuberose and orris; and A La Mode, which includes vanilla, sea salt and pistachio, are seeing elevated demand at Herb & Root. Kahlig-Garuba says, “We’re riding with the trends and introducing new things that people are searching for, but holding some of the original hero products as well.”

Herb & Root’s $15 deodorizing dusting powders jumpstarted the brand in 2016 as people searched for alternatives to Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder. Johnson & Johnson has been mired in lawsuits involving alleged links between talc in its baby powder and ovarian cancer. Herb & Root’s dusting powder is a nod to the powder Garuba’s parents would slather on him when he was a kid in Nigeria, and it’s momentum has been ticking up of late with the rise of all-over body deodorants.

“The same kind of purpose is there as it has been for hundreds of years: It keeps you from sweating, so it’s really helpful in hot climates,” says Garuba. Kahlig-Garuba says, “As the climate is heating up, these all-over body deodorants are going to become more popular.” 

Herb & Root’s dusting powders have drawn loyal customers on Amazon in particular. The brand’s products are also available via Etsy, TikTok Shop and Walmart’s online platform.

While Amazon is driving the highest return on investment for Herb & Root, the brand hasn’t abandoned on-the-ground IRL efforts. Kahlig-Garuba and Garuba are regulars at local markets in Texas, where they connect with fans they describe as “rabid” ranging from college students to busy moms.

“We love the grassroots element because we have this very word-of-mouth customer base,” says Garuba. “We have a really strong foundation. People have been loyal to us the whole 11 years we’ve been in business, and we don’t really feel the need to do a lot of extra spending on social.”

That doesn’t mean Herb & Root completely avoids social media. The brand aims to ramp up TikTok content. Kahlig-Garuba says, “We don’t want to just spend a lot on other platforms where we don’t see that we’re getting customers out of it, but we have identified TikTok as a place that we do want to invest in the future.”