# Cimed invests R$ 80 million in K-Beauty and launches the skincare brand Mili

The bet on South Korean technology reinforces a strategy of diversification and of turning pharmacy retail into an experience hub.

- Section: Business
- Published: October 19, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/cimed-invests-r-80-million-in-k-beauty-and-launches-the-skincare-brand
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/cimed-investe-r-80-milhoes-em-k-beauty-e-lanca-marca-de-skincare-mili.md

![A group of people posing in an auditorium in front of the launch backdrop for the Milimetric Pro Ultra and Ultra X lines](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/cimed-investe-r-80-milhoes-em-k-beauty-e-lanca-marca-de-skincare-mili-foto.webp)

Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

## Key points

- Cimed is investing R$ 80 million in Mili, a skincare line made with South Korean lab GDK Cosmetics, and expects revenue of up to R$ 150 million in the first year.
- Brazilian imports of South Korean cosmetics rose 951% in 2025, to US$ 54.3 million.
- Seven products arrive in November 2026, from R$ 70 to R$ 200; the goal is a R$ 2 billion operation in five years.

Pharmaceutical company Cimed has taken another decisive step in its portfolio diversification strategy by announcing the launch of Mili, its first skincare line developed entirely with K-Beauty technology. With an initial investment of R$ 80 million for inventory, marketing, point-of-sale activations and training of sales staff, the company expects revenue of up to R$ 150 million in its first year. The move aims to capture the soaring demand for South Korean cosmetics in Brazil, whose imports jumped 951% in 2025 to US$ 54.3 million, according to official data from the Korea Customs Service.

Mili's formulas were developed in an exclusive partnership with South Korean lab GDK Cosmetics. The initiative required Cimed executives and teams to spend three months immersed in 18 Asian cities, evaluating suppliers and structuring manufacturing. The Brazilian drugmaker does not see South Korea's industrial ecosystem as a temporary stage until production is eventually brought to Brazil, but as a permanent center for research, development and the fast introduction of new molecules. The project's biggest challenge is reconciling the speed of Korean innovation with the complex regulatory timelines required by Anvisa, Brazil's health regulator.

Due on shelves in November 2026, the first phase of the portfolio has seven products focused on face masks and moisturizing and anti-wrinkle treatments, priced between R$ 70 and R$ 200. Cimed's long-term ambition is bold: the company plans quarterly launch cycles of new lines to turn Mili into a R$ 2 billion operation within five years. Distribution will use the drugmaker's own logistics network, with 26 distribution centers covering about 98% of the country's pharmacies, with the goal of reaching 10,000 points of sale by the end of the year.

The move is part of a broader transformation in the relationship between industry and drugstore chains in Brazil. Instead of acting only in the traditional supply of medicines, Cimed wants to turn the point of sale into a space for trying products, education and guided purchasing. As the company's CEO, João Adibe Marques, points out, the South Korean model proved that the experience in beauty retail can generate high consumer traffic. This diagnosis has been redefining the sector: competing chains such as RD Saúde have already made similar moves, such as creating the Raia Conceito space to showcase Asian cosmetic brands.

Beyond its appeal to the end consumer in mass retail, Mili is born with a synergistic position within the Cimed group's own corporate ecosystem. The new brand will work in direct alignment with Milimetric, the group's medical aesthetics and dermal fillers division, which expects revenue of R$ 400 million in 2026. The strategy is to present Mili to the medical and dermatology community as a recommended line for daily care and for maintaining aesthetic procedures, extending each customer's lifetime across the company's product range.

With this business architecture, Cimed consolidates its transition from a manufacturer focused mainly on generics to a multinational of mass consumer brands. By combining the logistics and commercial efficiency of its national distribution network with Asia's innovation ecosystem, the group strengthens its ability to create high value-added, higher-margin categories in pharmacy retail.

## Sources and editorial notes

- Reference reporting: Exame, VEJA Negócios, TV Sim Brasil, BP Money, SpaceMoney.

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