Dreamcos turns acquired General Brands profitable, cutting losses 88%
What's the deal? Corporation DreamcosDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a South Korean cosmetics export and brand incubation company, said General Brands, Inc.Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the maker of personal care brand DUFT&DOFF — posted an operating profit in the first half of 2026, following its acquisition by Dreamcos in 2025.
The financials: General Brands recorded operating losses of KRW 3.4 billion in 2023 and KRW 2.5 billion in 2024. After Dreamcos invested and restructured the business, the loss narrowed to KRW 400 million in 2025 — down about 88% from 2023 — before the brand turned its first operating profit under Dreamcos ownership this year.
Why now? Dreamcos began investing in General Brands in April 2025 and completed the acquisition later that year. It was the company's second brand incubation deal, after its 2023 investment in Corporation CelebritykoreaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? Dreamcos works directly with its portfolio companies on product planning, distribution, and international expansion, while keeping each brand's identity distinct. Since the acquisition, it has widened DUFT&DOFT's reach across South Korea, adding duty-free stores at Incheon, Cheongju, and Gimhae international airports.
The brand also sells through Seoul's Myeongdong shopping district, pharmacies, and retail partners including MUSINSA, OFF BEAUTYDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, ARTBOXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Costco KoreaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, plus a premium section at Lotte Department StoreDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Each channel plays a distinct role, from reaching travelers to supporting the brand's premium positioning.
What's next? Dreamcos plans to accelerate DUFT&DOFT's expansion in Greater China, Southeast Asia, Russia, and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) markets. It already holds distribution agreements covering China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, and runs online storefronts including on China's Tmall.
"Returning a loss-making brand to operating profitability takes more than cost reductions," said Kang Ho-min, chief executive officer of Corporation Dreamcos. "It requires reshaping the distribution strategy and strengthening the brand's position in the market."
The signal: Dreamcos is betting that South Korea's independent beauty brands can be turned around and scaled abroad through hands-on incubation. It plans to keep identifying more such brands for its portfolio, using General Brands as proof of concept.
Read more: einpresswire.com
Image credit: general brands
