&vest in the operating seat. An honest diagnosis of Kopari today, and the play to win across consumer, channel, and category.
&vest is a beauty-native operator with a proven track record in distressed situations, having led the turnaround of Morphe, increasing EBITDA by $65M and retail sales by $200M over three years.
Kopari is a brand with real equity in sun and body care but is impaired by high concentration in SPF, lack of brand clarity, a failed sub-collection launch, a leadership gap, and a meaningful reforecast of FY26 revenue, EBITDA and cash.
Partnering with &vest, Kopari can become a balanced sun, body, and skincare portfolio with clear brand vision that translates to hero franchises, channel discipline, and structural margin expansion, achieving the growth required for a $300M+ financial outcome.
&vest is in the operating seat with an embedded team across all key functions and will balance critical near-term decision-making with a methodical approach to rebuilding the Kopari strategic roadmap over the next 90-180 days.
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$145M EV at 14.8x trailing EBITDA based on $8M. Full commercial and confirmatory diligence executed and finalized over next 4 months. We were attracted to Kopari's unique foothold in SPF and its distribution plan with Ulta.
QoE rejected $1.7M of EBITDA add-backs; trailing EBITDA reset from $8.1M to $6.4M. No flexibility on purchase price. Other deal points did not reach compromise (definition of debt tied to payables, sales tax liability, buyback liability).
Significant underperformance at Ulta. Reforecast EBITDA down 48% and flat year over year. CEO Susan Kim left the business. The Company re-engaged &vest on operator-led terms.
Watch the portfolio drift. Hover or click any year to see what changed.
There is a clear open space between mood-led vacation brands (Vacation, Summer Fridays, Saltair) and clinical SPF authorities (LRP, Supergoop). Kopari can own that space by making "paradise" feel signature, while building trust through innovation and evidence.
Establish north star 2030 target; treat margin as a design constraint across product, pricing, and GTM. Prioritize initiatives with clear contribution margin thresholds.
Thoughtfully leverage automation and tooling where it removes friction. Establish discipline around KPIs. Email/SMS and customer service hygiene as quick wins.
Faster decision-making rhythms. Reporting consistency across demand, margin, and inventory. A corporate culture of hard work, discipline, and analytical rigor.
The path to a $300M+ valuation. To be aligned with shareholders over the next 60-90 days.
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