A Beautiful Vision

Owned and run by Hawke’s Bay-based entrepreneur and health enthusiast Luci Firth, Adashiko is at the forefront of the collagen movement in New Zealand and helps to restore the skin and body from the inside out. We talk to Luci about her journey and vision for the future.

 

Tell us a little bit of the origin story of Adashiko and how you got involved?

I actually worked with the founder alongside their brand when I was doing graphic design. From there, I started taking the products and just got the most incredible results. Not just cosmetically, but also internally it helped with the recovery when playing netball and when working out at the gym. And it didn’t go unnoticed with family and friends and they started asking what I was doing differently with my skincare routine.

From there, it led further with my involvement where they asked if I would help with marketing and branding alongside my own design business. The opportunity came not long after to see if I wanted to purchase the business.
It was a no-brainer for me. The Japanese are so high end with the production of collagen, they have the most advanced techniques in the world for producing it. I saw a lack in the market here in New Zealand for a really high quality collagen product.

I decided that this was an incredible opportunity that I should take and run with. We started with two products and now we have developed 11. It’s been a really exciting adventure.

 

Based on your experience, would you have any advice for people looking to go out on their own?

Follow your heart. If there’s something that you want to do, give it your all and work hard at it. You will get there. It takes time and effort, but give it a go.

 

 

If you could wind back the clock, would you do it all over again?

Absolutely. I have loved the journey and all that comes with it. It’s so rewarding when you can give back to your customers. That’s the thing that drives me every single day. I’m the one that receives all our reviews and I read each and every one of them.

It just brings you so much drive knowing what our Adashiko collagen powders have done for people, it changes their lives. Right from people who’ve got severe arthritis or children that have got psoriasis or eczema. It’s really empowering, so it’s fantastic to know we’re doing so much, not just cosmetically but internally for people.
Going from the world of design and marketing to this other world with so many new dimensions to it, has that changed the way that you look at business in the world?
I’m such a humble person, I’m definitely head down and just get on with it. I forget sometimes to sit back and reflect on what Adashiko has achieved and what I’ve achieved in that time.

In saying that, lockdown was great for that, to sit back and reflect and look at the growth and look at how far Adashiko has come and, for me personally, how far I have come.

 

Can you talk about some of the milestones? What that growth has looked like?

Obviously we started out with just the collagen powders. From there, I went to Japan and I worked with our cosmetologist at our leading pharmaceutical company in Japan and we decided that skincare would be a fantastic avenue for Adashiko.

So we dived into developing and formulating a skincare line, which has been in the process for probably four and a half of the years. We work with them, creating different aspects of that and then slowly launching each of those products.

Another really big milestone coming up is we’re going to be heading into a sustainable direction. It’s been 18 months of research and development, planning how this looks and how we’re going to do that, knowing that’s the way of the future. We have recyclable packaging, but it’s just not enough and so we’ve taken it one step further.
We’ve got a more considered and sustainable approach and we’re moving to glass in all of our skin care line which is super exciting plus then moving to biodegradable tubs – and we’re really proud of this.

There will be no plastic as we are also taking out the scoop. That’ll be a really big milestone going that way for Adashiko and a more sustainable future.

 

You’ve had to spend a bit of time developing that, does that start to compromise things in terms of the pricing? Do you have to balance these things?

Yeah, you do. Along with that comes the added costs and obviously with Covid-19 too, the price of purchasing everything now with the drop in the dollar has really hit us and we’re having to carry that for now.

 

You’ve got a really beautiful international product, how big is the international market for you? Is that an area that you see growth in?

Yeah, for sure. We are very proud of the product we have created for our amazing New Zealand and overseas customers and we certainly see a huge amount of growth worldwide.

We get so much inspirational feedback from people telling us how our product has changed their day to day lives. We are excited to launch the product globally properly in the near future so that many more people can experience what our customers know now. Our first step is looking into international brand ambassadors and influencers aboard.

 

It would be fairly expensive, I imagine, to get some big name ambassadors in the States and in Europe, but you’re able to get some really good support here. Is that just the nature that we have here, that we can really leverage?

We all pull together in New Zealand, we are that kind of nation. You can get some great leverage from the other businesses you align with. And I think people too, ours all believe in our Adashiko ethos of producing the highest quality products. They just fall in love with them so it’s authentic and it comes across like that as you form an organic partnership.

 

I think there’s so much potential in our storytelling and the origin for the products that we produce here. What advice would you have for brands in terms of how they can create more product from the story side of things and the origin and background?

We are aligned with Japan who are the global leaders in collagen and their philosophy is quality, they are just so high end in everything they do.

For us, that’s what is so critical to our business, to strive for quality in everything Adashiko does. We use many local companies from our manufactuer, to our local printers, photographers/videographers and designers, who also produce quality work.

 

Do you think that’s something we’ve potentially been a bit relaxed about here in New Zealand? We don’t see the potential to really look at all of the details and really go high end?

No, there are many high end New Zealand companies that tell their story about their New Zealand brands extremely well. Where as for us, its bringing together two countries to produce the highest quality collagen products in the world.

 

 

In terms of the product side of things, can you talk about what’s really been driving that evolution and the widening range? You’ve got appearance products and the joint products, is it fair to say that those things connect together still?

We really are about beauty from the inside out. That is our point of difference with the type of collagen that we offer.

We have type one, type two and type three in our Adashiko collagen formulas, so not just hair, skin, nails. We go further, we dive deeper than skin deep and into joint health, gut health, heart health, whole body wellbeing.

In Japan, they live on collagen-enriched food. You can go to a vending machine and there’s collagen water, you go to a lollie store and they have collagen-infused marshmallows. At restaurants, they have collagen seasoning on their rice.

It is about full body wellbeing from the inside out, that holistic approach. We also wanted to have a high quality topical skincare line that was simple and not complicated and doesn’t take up a lot of time. For myself, I am so busy and time poor, so of course, I lacked the time for intensive skincare so that was my vision behind our skincare line.

 

Have you noticed a shift that people aren’t just after a quick superficial fix? That they want to look at a holistic thing?

We were so much slower here in New Zealand to get into that idea of beauty from within. It’s not just about what we apply topically, it’s full body wellbeing from the inside. It’s what you put in, is what you’re going to get on the outside.

The East have been the pioneers, leading the way on the benefits of collagen for many years and we have now been able to bring this to New Zealand over the last five years.

It’s a no-brainer to be taking collagen supplements from within and reaping the incredible benefits, internally and externally.

 

Can you talk a little bit about the science and what makes what the Japanese are doing so impressive?

We work closely with our pharmaceutical company, developing our formulas specifically for Adashiko. Japan have the most advanced techniques for producing collagen, that is why Japanese collagen is also known as Super Collagen.

It comes down to the molecular size. The smaller the molecule, the more it’s readily absorbed into the body, which can send those signals to the cells to produce a formation of more collagen again in the body.

A lot of collagens out there have a large molecule size. They might be up to 45,000 daltons, which would be like a basketball trying to get through your bloodstream. Our collagen is 3,000 daltons, which is the finest produced collagen in the world.

Having that fine molecule can stimulate the collagen production and that’s why you get quicker, more efficient and effective results.

 

Say I started taking a whole suite of products, what sort of impact would I feel over a week or two weeks?

It depends on the quality of the collagen and the amount you are going to take. Adashiko offers the finest and purest quality collagen on the market.

It works holistically, it goes to where your body’s calling for it first. Results you may notice could be different to what the person next to you might notice, but within the three to six week mark, most noticeable superficial changes are things like, your fingernails, your hair health, eyelashes start growing longer. Then your skin will start smoothing out, it gets a plumper looking glow about it, and reducing your fine lines and wrinkles.

When you’re getting in to the two to three month mark, you do really notice things like the repair in your gut health, which obviously then shows through to the exterior, i.e. skin issues, like acne, eczema, psoriasis. It starts healing because you’re healing the gut from the inside.

The further you go down the track, people notice relief with their severe joint aches and pains and arthritis. Collagen works by lubricating the joints it’s the glue that holds your body together. It will rebuild cartilage and ligament damage.

 

When you’re out and about, do you find yourself looking at someone and you think, ‘Oh, you could really do with some collagen’?

Yeah, I do. Whenever I talk to people who are stuggling with areas within their own health, I think to myself they could do with trying some Adashiko. That’s what I love about it, what you can do to help people. It’s really empowering.

 

You do have a broad range of products. Have you been surprised by the sort of people that have become customers?

Yes, I guess we have, because we have specifically formulated a product designed for joint health. Our Joint formula has really targeted a lot of active and older people. It’s pretty neat to hear those stories.

We had a lady who was 76 and she’d suffered gum disease for 20 years and one day she rang the 0800 number and said she’d just been to her hygenist and he asked, ‘What are you doing different because your gums are actually healing?’ And she said, ‘The only thing I’m doing differently is taking an Adashiko collagen supplement that I got from my beauty therapist.’

And she didn’t need to have them scraped and didn’t need to go on antibiotics after that. To get a call like that on the 0800 number is just incredible. At 76, it’s not too late.

 

Do you find that some products act as a gateway to the rest of the products?

Yes, most people start taking our collagen powders for the health benefits, but I love how they reap the benefits with the cosmetics too. Then they like the idea of complimenting it with a our skincare range as well. They notice the benefits of collagen internally so I love that our skincare has collagen for topical use also.

Do you notice that as people start to feel better and look better, that people start being more conscious, in terms of exercise and general wellbeing?

Yeah, absolutely. It’s that mindset which is a flow on effect. If you are investing in how you look and feel, that shines through in your general wellbeing and exercise is another massive part of that for sure.

Have you been good at that balance? Has that been something that’s come easily to you?

I tend to try to make sure I do get that balance of getting the work done for the day, but then also fitting in quality family time and just having a few moments to reflect on the day.

We do sit down every night and enjoy eating dinner as a family together, I believe that’s important and we really enjoy that. It’s an opportunity to discuss the ups and downs of our day and the kids love to contribute about their day too.

 

 

Have you noticed, from a business perspective, that there are downfalls to being outside Auckland? But are there benefits as well?

I think people love the fact that we’re a big company, but we’re based in little sunny Hawke’s Bay. There are downfalls, I guess, of not being able to connect or visit our out of town stockists with out pre-planning.

We now often jump on a Zoom meeting to do a stockist training, so it hasn’t become too much of an issue. Or we just get on a flight and visit in person. Auckland is only an hour flight away.

 

In terms of the kids, do you hope one day they’ll be a part of the legacy that you’re creating?

Yeah, I really do. They already help out a lot after school. They get in here at Adashiko HQ and help to do things like boxing tubs, replenish the shelves, hand folding our booklets and doing basic stuff. It’s really neat, they get to be a part of it. They actually love it.

 

Have you had to be quite disciplined in terms of balancing home life and work life?

Yes I have, but I do love that I can take it home and everyone in the family understands. I just take my computer with me or check my phone when needed. The whole family end up becoming a part of the conversation at times. It’s good, I love it.

That’s what I do; I sleep, breathe and eat collagen, so I just love it. I am very disciplined at weekends though, weekends are about the family and I try to not do any work over the weekends unless I really have to.

 

There’s a lot of struggle out there at the moment, but it seems like you’re going through constant growth and there’s a real excitement around what you’re doing. What do you put that down to?

It’s so exciting and we are so fortunate that we’re in a place of happiness, growth and change. I guess it comes down to the quality of our collagen products and how people fall in love with them when they start using them.
People love talking and sharing with friends when they get such great results from new products. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

I just love looking at the next exciting thing I can start working on. I am very passionate at what I do and I think that helps too.

 

Have there been tough times? Have there been hurdles along the way?

Absolutely. The first two and a half to three years were tough times. The amount of sleepless nights and hours of hard work just hoping that we are going to get there. I had the vision and dedication and I just had to stick to it and back myself.

 

It’s an interesting point. During the hard times and that slog, having that vision helps you.

I just had to keep looking back and saying to myself, ‘Well, this is what I want to do. These are my goals and this is how I’m going to get there.’

 

 

Have you got any other tips around how you can create that resilience in terms of your business and what you’re doing?

Align yourself with good business mentors and people that you can bounce ideas off and help out when you need it.

I think that’s been key for me. I started out with just myself, we now have a team of eight. It’s just making sure you have the right people in your corner, backing you and to get advice from.

 

What kind of leader are you?

That’s kind of hard to say because I’m just a doer. I just get on and get it done. I’ve got a great team of girls that work with me. We’re a collaborative hub, we work well as a team all together.

 

Are you conscious of, as you grow and scale up, keeping that culture in place?

Yeah, for sure. I think you do need to keep that culture. We need to keep to what our ethos is and our values and that is our quality.

That’s what I guess I’m so driven by, making sure that everyone does everything they can to the best of their ability, right down to the little bits of customer service and our handwritten notes that we put in every order.

Those little attention to detail touches are just so important. That’s what I’m a big believer in, those final little details matter and making the receiver feel special.

 

What do you think the next five years look like?

Launch sustainability, lift our global growth, launching new products in the range. Completing our skincare line.

 

Thinking about New Zealand, what do you see when you look at the potential of what we have to create here?

Everyone coming together and uniting. Trying to keep it local and supporting each other and trying to look after what we’ve got.

 

If you were to invest in certain industries, where do you see the growth?

Exactly where I am, within health and wellness. That’s a big thing. People overseas are going to look into that and know that’s what we’re all about in New Zealand with our clean green values. They’re going to look at our products with a higher vision for it.

 

The economic and health impact is very real. The way we’ve handled the crisis, that sense of cooperation here, do you think that we could do quite well out of this?

Yeah, I think really well. What we’ve done as a nation has been incredible. To think we had every single one of us on that same page and all fighting for the same thing. I think this is why we’ve come out of it so well.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

I have been given so much over the years, but one simple one that I always come back to in all avenues of my life – business, friends, home life – is don’t stress about the things you can’t control .