South Korean cosmetics company Nature Republic said Tuesday that it has opened four pop-up stores inside Italy’s Coin Department Stores located in Rome, Milan, Torino and Bari.

The Coin Department Store is Italy’s largest department store in terms of the number of outlets. It first opened in 1916, and now has over 50 stores selling clothing, beauty and home decoration products across the country.

The company said its entry into Italy would help the firm expand its presence in the European market, where the popularity of K-beauty has been spreading. 

According to market data, the Italian cosmetics market was valued at around 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) as of last year. 

The company said it took two years to register some 80 cosmetic products including its signature Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream and Aloe Vera Soothing Gel on the European Union’s Cosmetic Products Notification Portal.

It added that it will strengthen its position in the new market and continue to seek ways to diversify overseas sales channels.

Nature Republic currently has a presence in 19 countries including Italy. 

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)