When it comes to its wellness category, Target is in growth mode.
In January, Target announced that, throughout the year, it would roll out 1,000 new wellness-related products, ranging from apparel and accessories to beauty, supplements and technology. To kick things off, Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s Lemme brand made its debut in the supplement aisle in January. And in April, Target worked with Gen-Z founder Zoe Leffler to launch Cycl period care in May.
“We’ve had a purpose for years to help all families discover the joy of everyday life,” said Amanda Nusz, svp of merchandising, essentials and beauty at Target, during a conversation onstage at Glossy’s Beauty and Wellness Summit on Tuesday. Nusz stepped into the role in July after previously leading Target’s corporate responsibility and sustainability team.
“What we’re finding when we listen to the consumers is they are broadening their definition of wellness. It is no longer around health and protein and gut health alone. They are thinking about it more holistically,” she added.
To Nusz’s point, wellness, which is expected to reach $8.47 trillion in size by 2027, has become a burgeoning market opportunity. On TikTok, the hashtag #wellness has over 3.6 million posts, with users sharing products ranging from brain health and sleep assistance to makeup essentials and fitness outfit hauls. With the rapidly changing wellness landscape, Nusz offered more insight into how Target is leveraging products and partnerships for a holistic approach to wellness.
One key finding anchoring Target’s wellness strategy is that, according to its internal research, consumers have shifted to celebrating their wellness journeys instead of the destination. “Most people are making trade-offs every single day … and they still are looking to improve their health,” Nusz said.
Providing shoppers with more diverse product offerings is how Target is answering the shift. “[We’re working to] make sure that consumers have the choices, in terms of price points and the brands they love — [products] that really meet them where they’re at and focus on celebrating progress. … [Wellness] is very personalized and defined by the individual, and it’s important that we think about it that way,” said Nusz.
And giving consumers more choices is reflected in Target’s wellness strategy beyond the beauty aisle — Nusz says Target’s beauty revenue has doubled since 2019. Driven by the company’s initiative to introduce shoppers to over 1,000 new brands across various wellness categories, Nusz said Target has partnered and collaborated with brands in surprising ways, which has proven successful.
In October, Target partnered with Stanley and E.l.f. to bring the two brands’ exclusive collaboration to Target shelves. The limited-edition drop includes Stanley’s viral tumblers in five shimmery colors, each equipped with a lip oil holder.
“That [opportunity] came from the team saying, ‘How do we think about it from a consumer lens versus individually for each of these categories, and how do we surprise and delight within that space?’ We’ve put a lot of focus on trying to put the consumer at the center, and thinking, ‘How can we come together in a way that’s uniquely targeted?” Nusz said.
Moving forward, building cutting-edge technology as it relates to wellness will be an area of focus. As of now, Target is working on upgrading its virtual try-on and skin diagnostics features online as part of its wellness initiatives.
“Nearly three-quarters of our consumers use their app at a Target while they’re shopping in the stores, so it’s just a seamless opportunity for us to think about how we create all those different moments and make it really easy, fun and enjoyable,” said Nusz.
