An on-demand beauty marketplace has raised £2 million to accelerate its growth in the North West by doubling down on its existing operations in Manchester and Liverpool.
Ruuby allows customers to order a host of beauty services to their desired location. It is currently available in London, Surrey, The Cotswolds and Manchester, as well as Switzerland and the South of France.
Founded in 2016, the firm – registered in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire – has delivered nearly 500,000 services across multiple groups of treatments, such as hair, nails, massage, waxing, IV drips and cosmetic injectables.
The round was led by the NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance, managed by Praetura as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. Existing shareholders Michelle Kennedy, Whitney Bromberg Hawkings and former Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani have also invested.
Following a 500% surge in sales post-COVID, the funding will also be used to further improve the platform’s efficiency. The firm says 200 beauty and wellness professionals will now secure jobs through the platform to cater for tens of thousands of customers in the North West.
The capital will also boost Ruuby’s business-to-business offering which includes event pop-ups, client hospitality and branded experiences. This growth will build on an already extensive hospitality portfolio including globally renowned hotels in the region such as Hotel Gotham, Stock Exchange, Hyatt and Dakota.
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Ruuby was founded by Forbes 30 under 30 honouree, Venetia Archer, after she spotted a gap in the market for at-home beauty service delivery. The business now has over 150,000 users, including North West stars Abbey Clancy, Peter Crouch and Amy Jackson and celebrities such as Victoria Beckham. Ruuby also collaborates with over 3,000 beauty professionals, delivering treatments within 90 minutes across the UK.
In December last year, Ruuby’s Northern practitioners worked with luxury fashion-house Chanel to deliver make-up and hair styling to 25 of their VIPs for their debut Manchester Cruise Show.
“In a world where you can request food to your door in minutes, or a car to pick you up in seconds, it seemed natural that beauty services should follow,” said CEO Archer.
“Our expansion plans in the UK and Europe are a testament to the demand for high-quality, on-the-go beauty services, and we are excited to bring Ruuby’s unique offerings to more people and businesses.”