Tim Thorpe makes his comeback with “Club Kuma”!

For those familiar with the beauty industry, this was one of the surprises at the latest edition of MakeUp LosAngeles a few days ago. Tim Thorpe, who joined the company HCT created by his father, Chris, in 2000, became its CEO in 2013, and then sold it to the KDC/ONE Group in 2019, was present with his new company created at the end of 2023 and his entire team under the name “Club Kuma.” Explanations by the man himself...

Thank you to talk about your career and the history of your new company.

Tim Thorpe:  My family was involved in injection molding in the 1970s. As a teenager I worked for my father, but left to become a bond trader in the ’90s. I joined the family business, HCT, in 2000, and after my father and brother retired around 2013, I became Global CEO and President of HCT Group. I completed a transaction with Cornell Capital and KDC/ONE in 2019. 
I founded Club Kuma in late 2023 with co-founder Jenny Hsu, Creative Director Jeremy Wilson, and Head of Design Megan Langdon. Club Kuma is a creative and manufacturing studio spanning all beauty categories (color, skincare, haircare, fragrance, and body care) offering branding, design, product development, and manufacturing under one roof. We currently have over 30 employees and are actively hiring.

 
How do you position yourself in this highly competitive market?

Tim Thorpe: Club Kuma’s offering is genuinely unique. I’m not aware of any competitor that delivers the same breadth of services with the same level of competence. There are plenty of suppliers but very little real innovation in the last five years. 
In my opinion there is a lot of mediocrity in the beauty industry. Decisions are often made by committee that lead to uninspired products. The shifts in retail and marketing have been rapid. The combination results in loss of market share and underwhelming sales. Products need to be more intentional. 
We started Club Kuma because we saw a better way.

How do you view this period, which looks set to be difficult from an economic standpoint?

Tim Thorpe:  Shifting tariffs are a challenge for everyone. But we’ve built a strong global supply chain precisely for moments like this, and we offer clients concrete alternatives to help soften and mitigate the impact.

The environment is now a major concern for all suppliers in the beauty industry. What are your strengths?

Tim Thorpe: The environment is as important to us as it is to you. Read into that however you want.
The reality is that most brands and consumers say they want sustainability — until they see the price tag or the aesthetic trade-offs. We’ve built the capabilities to support clients who take that seriously.

The packaging industry is under pressure, especially when it comes to plastics. How are you adapting?

Tim Thorpe: We offer mono-material packaging, PCR, and strong alternatives to plastic. But let’s be honest — shifting material specs doesn’t solve the plastics problem. In the US, almost nothing is actually recycled regardless of what goes in the bin. That’s an infrastructure failure, and no amount of responsible sourcing on our end changes it. Real progress requires investment in recycling systems, consumer education, and a collective commitment even when inconvenient.

What are some of the major launches your company has been involved in recently, and what new products have you developed?

Tim Thorpe:  Our favorite launch in 2025 was a custom palette that fused cosmetics packaging with jewelry-quality charm details. 
As for what’s next - you’ll have to wait and see, but we’re excited about the projects in the pipeline.