For those that are unfamiliar, what is Vella and what’s its point of difference in the industry?
Vella Bioscience, Inc. is a femtech company driven to put science in service of every woman’s sexual empowerment. At the company’s core, women come first. Founded by a team of medical researchers, business leaders and beauty industry experts, the company is launching with its flagship product, Vella Women’s Pleasure Serum. Vella is a first-of-its-kind topical pre-play serum that is clinically demonstrated to promote more frequent, intense and satisfying orgasms for cis women at every (consenting) age or life stage
With Vella, the company now has a technology platform to advance a product portfolio of clinically proven, radical innovations through a women-first mindset. Our science-based approach and proprietary nano-encapsulated technology is what sets us apart in this growing landscape.
Launching a beauty brand is hard under normal circumstances, but Vella was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Describe the experience.
The restrictions enforced due to the pandemic both posed challenges and presented us with opportunities. For starters, the company was formed virtually; that set the tone for our organization. We didn’t have to unlearn old ways and adapt. It instilled a culture of agility and nimbleness from the get go. Everyone we work with today – whether our investors or agency partners or consultants, came on board remotely and we have managed a fantastic workflow ever since. Vella was our sole focus with so much more time on our hands. No one had anywhere else to be. It will be a very cherished and memorable shared experience for us.
What were some COVID-specific related changes Vella faced (and continues to face) and what has the brand done to adapt?
Specific to the pandemic, there were two big areas. First, supply chain lead times were longer than we had anticipated due to various travel restrictions and lockdowns. Our international counterparts for raw materials and packaging both required firm commitments many more weeks in advance, compared to pre-Covid times. This required us to rapidly pick up pace and pull forward key decisions. Related to this was advanced inventory buildup for launch, which required very precise projections – we had to rely on our conviction and anticipate retail demand + our own DTC forecasts with added precision. To add to the complexity, given that we are a stealth start-up in early rounds of fundraising, a lot depended on complete trust in each other’s decisions, as there was no room for errors.
Second, we set out to create a prestige brand, with its pristine visual codes and sophisticated photography – all remotely. So one had to rely deeply on muscle memory and past experience of building aspiration & elegance, that reflects in the brand’s look & feel, all leveraging technology.
While the sexual wellness category is rising, it is still very much a taboo topic. How is Vella working to change women’s attitudes in a virtual environment?
The fear of labels and sex shaming have indeed prevented women from claiming their fundamental right to sexual satisfaction. Yet, this is 2021. Vella is arriving on the market at a pivotal moment, when major changes in the cultural acceptance of female sexual pleasure are happening. Vella Bioscience, Inc. is leading the charge of exemplifying that women’s sexual wellness is an integral part of women’s health, of women’s happiness, and of women’s right to pleasure. We will strive to lend our voice to purposeful conversations and we hope to encourage a culture of sex positivity and wellness.
Ultimately, Vella exists as a brand of choice for every woman, the option to pursue sexual fulfillment and satisfaction as she wishes, especially if such choices were previously unavailable. That’s our raison d’être.
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