# Milani hits 19 consecutive quarters of growth by co-developing exclusive products with retail partners *CEO Mary van Praag credits retailer collaboration over straight wholesale placement for sustained performance in mass beauty.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-07-14. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/milani-cosmetics-2026-07-14t12-3 Subject: Milani (Cosmetics) Tags: retail strategy, exclusive products, mass beauty, co-development, shelf defense, wholesale --- Milani Cosmetics has posted **19 consecutive quarters** of growth by building exclusive product lines with retail partners rather than relying on traditional wholesale distribution, CEO Mary van Praag confirmed to Glossy. The mass-market beauty brand treats retailers as co-developers, creating SKUs that cannot be found at competing chains. The approach flips the standard physical-product playbook. Instead of producing a catalog and pitching it to every chain, Milani works with individual retailers to identify white space in their assortment, then formulates products to fill those gaps. Van Praag described the model as collaborative product development, not just placement negotiation. The resulting exclusives give the retailer differentiation and Milani shelf commitment that survives promotional cycles and margin pressure. The mechanism works because exclusivity solves two problems simultaneously. For the retailer, a co-developed line defends against showrooming and price comparison—customers cannot find the exact product elsewhere to check a lower price. For Milani, the partnership secures shelf space and promotional support that a non-exclusive brand must fight for every quarter. Van Praag noted that this strategy insulates the brand from the volatility common in mass beauty, where placement can vanish after a single weak sales period. The broader pattern is retailer consolidation driving demand for owned differentiation. As chains compete with Amazon and direct-to-consumer brands, generic assortments become a liability. A co-developed product line gives the retailer a reason to drive traffic and the supplier a moat against cheaper substitutes. Milani's **19-quarter** streak suggests the model works across economic cycles, a notable result in a category where most brands cycle in and out of favor. A small physical-product brand can run the same play at regional or independent scale. Identify a retailer whose assortment has an obvious gap—gift boxes with no local angle, apparel with no plus sizes, kitchen tools with no left-handed options. Propose a short exclusive run, perhaps **500 to 1,000 units**, with the retailer's input on colorway, packaging, or feature set. The key is making the retailer a stakeholder in the product's success, not just a distributor. Offer them naming input or a custom SKU code. Structure the deal so they cannot return unsold inventory without losing their exclusive window, aligning incentives. Price the exclusive at the same margin as your standard line, but offer the retailer a small marketing cooperative—**$500 to $1,000** toward in-store signage or social posts featuring the product. This funds their promotional effort without discounting your product. If the first run sells through, propose a twelve-month exclusive renewal with a slightly expanded assortment. If it does not, you have learned what the retailer's customer base will not buy, and you have not committed to a long-term placement that drags down your velocity metrics. The durable lesson is that exclusivity converts a transaction into a partnership. Milani's sustained growth reflects not just product quality but a distribution model that gives retailers a reason to prioritize the brand when shelf space tightens. For a one-person operation, that same dynamic works at farmers' markets, independent bookstores, and regional chains—anywhere a buyer faces competitive pressure and needs a product their competitors cannot match. ## The takeaway Milani's **19-quarter** growth run proves that co-developed exclusives with retailers outperform generic wholesale placement. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands