CEO of Ecostore, Pablo Kraus, has always been creatively inclined, with aspirations from a young age to become a film editor. Following his dream, Kraus attended Vancouver Film School after finishing high school in Auckland.
“After graduation, I was fortunate to work with outstanding agencies in New Zealand and Canada, where I developed my skills as an interactive developer and had the chance to bring innovative solutions to consumers,” recounted Kraus.
These skills and experience have informed the position in which Kraus is today. With familial ties in Ecostore since 2003 and having worked within the company for the last decade, Kraus’s familiarity and passion for Ecostore motivated him to take the opportunity as CEO when presented with the chance.
“After five years of working with exceptional leaders and gaining a comprehensive understanding of the company, the opportunity to take on the reigns as CEO presented itself. At first, I was hesitant, but after considering my experience and knowledge of the company, I felt excited and ready to take on the job.”
With a direct team of 120 people and close relationships with branches globally, including Melbourne, Tokyo, and Shanghai, Kraus described communication as the cornerstone of the enterprise's success.
Kraus stated that his team and his passion for empowering others to make positive changes inspire him. The CEO detailed that he is excited to work with skilled experts and that being able to support and drive creative and positive change with a dedicated and passionate team was the most rewarding aspect of his position.
“I get pretty pumped to be able to work with a team of brilliant experts in their respective roles, and I am honoured to have the chance to support and empower them to make a truly substantial and meaningful impact on a global scale.”
Ecostore’s founding point of difference derives from using safe, natural ingredients in household and personal care products. The brand promotes and prioritises safe and conscious products for consumer use and the environment. The CEO and father proudly stated that his favourite product from Ecostore was its Baby Sleepytime Bath product, fondly recalling it as a product that helped Kraus put his children to sleep.
“We aim to make effective but also responsible and transparent products, with clear labelling and information about the ingredients. By doing so, we can offer consumers a good choice for them and the planet.”
Aligned with their driving sustainability motivation, the company launched a refill site in Vietnam, the consumer response to which was overwhelmingly positive. Kraus stated that the focus on sustainability has only strengthened due to the success of global refill stations, with over 100 locations in New Zealand.
“As our commitment to sustainability and reducing waste continues to grow, we are actively exploring opportunities to expand our refill station network to new regions with demand.”
Despite inflation and rising costs impacting the industry, Ecostore remains committed to innovative growth for a healthier future.
The brand's future is an expansion of its current motivations, which can be seen through the launch of its new product of concentrated laundry liquids, expected to be released next month. Kraus explained that Ecostore is consistently searching for new and innovative methods of reducing waste and positively impacting the environment, this latest innovation being an example of the company’s commitment.
“With three times the concentration of our traditional formula, we can greatly reduce the amount of plastic we use and the amount of water we transport. This is just one example of how we are pushing the boundaries of sustainability, and I can’t wait for you all to try it.”
