Today, we sit down with Emma Bergqvist, one of the founders of Tree of Brands, who was awarded Distributor of the Year 2024. Tree of Brands was recognized for its supportive approach to natural cosmetics brands and its pioneering role in introducing natural sunscreens to the Swedish market. Follow along as we dive into Tree of Brands’ inspiring journey and explore what makes a brand succeed in the Nordic beauty landscape.
It’s so lovely to have you with us, Emma! Could you tell us about yourself and how Tree of Brands began its journey in the natural beauty industry?
Emma Bergqvist: Thank you, I’m so happy to be here! I’ve worked in green beauty my entire career. I worked for 15 years at Weleda, where I was Marketing Manager for the Nordics. During that time, I studied to skin care therapist, and at Weleda I also met my co-founder, Tove Svanlind. She led sales, and after many years of working together, we launched Tree of Brands.
We are a Nordic distributor focused on natural beauty. We aimed to raise awareness around the advantages of natural and organic cosmetics in the Swedish and Nordic markets. We wanted to make natural beauty feel modern, effective, and accessible.
Emma Bergqvist, founder of Tree of Brands
What are the biggest challenges when distributing natural beauty products in Sweden?
Emma Bergqvist: Margins are tough. Natural products have significantly higher production costs, but retail prices can’t go too high, which means that it’s challenging to invest in marketing. Another challenge is finding brands that tick every box: clean formulas, compelling design, and a texture people fall in love with.
How do you select the brands and products that become part of your portfolio? What are the key criteria?
Emma Bergqvist: We always begin by checking the ingredients list. Natural beauty still lacks a universal definition, so we’ve developed our internal standards, with a list of around 150 ingredients that we don’t allow in our portfolio.
Beyond formulation, efficacy is crucial; the products must deliver results and feel consumer-ready in every sense, including packaging, design, and sensory appeal. This is often underestimated, but the overall feel must be modern, desirable, and competitive with conventional brands. All need to feel current and engaging for the consumer, natural doesn’t mean compromising on experience.
How do you support your partner brands in expanding to new markets?
Emma Bergqvist: When we take on a brand, it becomes like a baby to us; we are deeply invested in its success. We provide full-service support: marketing, sales, distribution, campaign execution, training, and more. We work very closely with our retailers and tailor our strategy based on what the brand already has in place and what needs to be created. We bring the tools, knowledge, and network to help each brand thrive in the Nordic region.
One particularly interesting ingredient we’re watching is CBD. It was named the number one ingredient in the US back in 2019, but it still hasn’t fully bloomed in the Nordic market, likely due to regulatory hesitations.
In your experience, what makes a natural beauty brand successful at retail?
Emma Bergqvist: To succeed, a brand must be competitive with conventional products in every sense: texture, fragrance, efficacy, appearance, and communication. To succeed in the Nordic market, the design and texture need to meet local expectations.
Local insight is key. Trends are more fluid. New generations are embracing different preferences, and trends are no longer as singular. Multiple styles are coexisting, and they vary from country to country and even between target groups within the same country.
Founders Emma Bergvist and Tove Svanlind at European Natural Beauty Awards in Stockholm, 2024.
Let’s talk more about trends. What are some of the key shifts you’ve observed in the natural beauty market over the past year?
Emma Bergqvist: The biggest shift is that natural cosmetics are no longer a trend; they’re a consumer expectation. People are choosing products based on hero ingredients, and some trends, like snail mucin or K-beauty, come and go in cycles. They have their moment, fade, and then often return a few years later.
That said, it is legal to use plant-derived CBD in cosmetics in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. And we believe in its potential. It’s a powerful ingredient with the ability to solve a range of concerns, so we expect its breakthrough moment is still ahead.
How do you see consumer expectations evolving when it comes to sustainability and transparency in beauty?
Emma Bergqvist: Consumer awareness has grown dramatically in the past 10 years. People are much more conscious of ingredients and sustainability. Today’s consumers expect their routines to match their lifestyle, just like with food or fashion. Sustainability is no longer a niche, it’s the norm.
How do you address greenwashing in beauty?
Emma Bergqvist: We focus on honesty. We highlight real benefits, and when something is misleading, we speak up. Staying consistent and science-based will ultimately win the race, and I believe it already is.
Members of the industry voted for Tree of Brands as Distributor of the Year. What did receiving this award mean to you and your company?
Emma Bergqvist: Wow, it meant so much to us. It was truly overwhelming to step onto that stage in Stockholm last year. The other shortlisted distributors were incredible, so being awarded felt even more special. It was emotional, humbling, and such a proud moment for us.
The award was a validation of all the years we’ve poured our hearts and energy into this company, for our brands, our retailers, and the wider market. It confirmed that the work we’ve done was not only meaningful but also successful. We are so proud of our small team, it’s a lovely, shared achievement.
Would you like to add anything to close the interview?
Emma Bergqvist: Just a message of encouragement to everyone in the industry: keep going. It’s so important that we continue to believe in what’s right, whether it’s sustainability or creating products that are both environmentally and health-friendly.
Believe in yourself, and keep doing the work that matters. There are so many negative forces out there, but our values and our mission have a real impact.
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Tree of Brands aligns closely with the ENBA’s values by supporting and highlighting natural cosmetics as the new standard and communicating with honesty in an industry that can be misleading for the consumer.
We are proud to feature Tree of Brands as part of the European Natural Beauty Awards community — a distributor that embodies the ENBA values of excellence, transparency, and naturality.
To learn more about Tree of Brands: