{"id":14388,"date":"2024-12-11T20:00:27","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T20:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/small-business-big-ideas-inside-the-luxury-advent-calendar-boom-with-dtc-brand-cheese-brothers\/"},"modified":"2024-12-11T20:00:27","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T20:00:27","slug":"small-business-big-ideas-inside-the-luxury-advent-calendar-boom-with-dtc-brand-cheese-brothers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/small-business-big-ideas-inside-the-luxury-advent-calendar-boom-with-dtc-brand-cheese-brothers\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Business, Big Ideas: Inside the Luxury Advent Calendar Boom with DTC Brand Cheese Brothers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This story is part of Retail TouchPoints\u2019 ongoing \u201cSmall Business, Big Ideas\u201d series, focusing on smaller retail brands that have found big success and have even bigger ambitions.<\/em><\/p>\n

The advent calendar has long been a holiday staple, but in the last few years a new variation has soared in popularity \u2014 luxury advent calendars, ranging in price from hundreds to thousands<\/strong> of dollars.<\/p>\n

The trend is being fueled in part by the popularity of social media \u201cunboxing\u201d and \u201chaul\u201d trends, but also by an increased desire from consumers for experiences following the forced isolation of the COVID years<\/strong>. In fact, marketing agency Empower said it\u2019s seen a 90%<\/strong> increase in consumer interest in the advent calendar category since 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think people are a little tired of your standard gift basket or gift pack, especially since the pandemic,\u201d said Eric Ludy, Owner of the DTC brand Cheese Brothers<\/strong>, whose own high-end 12 Days of Cheesemas advent calendar has been a runaway hit. \u201cPeople are looking for experiences more so than just a product.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the advent calendar delivers. Featuring not only desirable products from pretty much any theme under the sun \u2014 beauty, artisanal sauces, whiskey, jewelry, healing crystals, to name just a few \u2014 but also a pre-packaged, drawn-out element of surprise<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cheese Brothers\u2019 calendar, which retails for $120<\/strong>, \u201cis a perfect gift,\u201d explained Ludy in an interview with Retail TouchPoints<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s very substantial, so it\u2019s a generous gift. And then every day there\u2019s a new surprise. People are looking for that right now.\u201d In fact, the Cheese Bros. calendar is selling 10X<\/strong> better than any other product on the brand\u2019s site at the moment.<\/p>\n

The Rise of the Advent Calendar<\/strong><\/h2>\n

And Cheese Brothers isn\u2019t the only brand to capitalize on this trend. Wholesale marketplace Faire<\/strong>, which can act as a barometer of where the retail winds are blowing, saw a 500%<\/strong> increase in searches for advent calendars in August 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, and the number of advent calendars available for sale on the platform has increased 4X this year<\/strong>. In fact, U.S. independent retailers already have purchased close to a quarter-million<\/strong> advent calendars on Faire this year.<\/p>\n

Among the top-selling calendars so far this year on Faire include Spunky Pup<\/strong>\u2019s 25 Days of Dog Treats, FreshCut Paper<\/strong>\u2019s Woodland Wonderland calendar, Pinch Provisions\u2019<\/strong> self-care calendar and ESW Beauty<\/strong>\u2019s Good Skin Vibes 12-day calendar. While many of these versions fall within the more typical price range of $15 to $50<\/strong>, there are enough variations on the trend for just about any kind of shopper, at any price point.<\/p>\n

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Swarovski\u2019s 2024 advent calendar, which retails for $1,200. (Image courtesy Swarovski)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dior<\/strong>\u2019s $160<\/strong> Le Mini Montaigne calendar (which actually only includes four <\/strong>days of surprises) has become a TikTok favorite; Swarovski<\/strong> offers a 25<\/strong>-day holiday-themed advent calendar for $1,200<\/strong>; and CaskCartel<\/strong> has released a 24<\/strong>-day rare whiskey advent calendar for $2,500<\/strong>, to mention just a few. (Reader beware, googling this topic will take you down a very expensive rabbit hole, so hold onto your wallet.)<\/p>\n

\u201cBrands are really getting creative with these calendars, turning them into a new way to create brand awareness and interest during the most important time of year for retail<\/strong>,\u201d said Lauren Cooks Levitan, President of Faire, in comments shared with Retail TouchPoints<\/em>. \u201cThese calendars have become a way for brands to share their story and build a stronger connection with their customers.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s always the chance that things can go wrong, especially when a high-priced product doesn\u2019t end up meeting customer expectations, as with the now infamous $825 Chanel <\/strong>calendar from 2021.<\/p>\n

Just this year, Sephora<\/strong> caused an unintended furor with its advent calendar, which was available only to members of its Beauty Insiders loyalty program in exchange for 2,500<\/strong> loyalty points. The calendar was subsequently lambasted by influencers online for the quality of the included products: Given that rewards points are typically doled out at the rate of one<\/strong> point per dollar spent, the calendar\u2019s rough value of $2,500<\/strong> was deemed \u201coffensive\u201d for products such as scrunchies and hair clips. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The Challenges of Shipping Cheese<\/strong><\/h2>\n

But when done well, an advent calendar can be a boon for business, as it has been for Cheese Brothers.<\/p>\n

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