How 9-figure Bloom Nutrition tripled international sales in 12 months

At a glance

Bloom Nutrition was founded in 2019 by Mari Llewellyn as a direct-to-consumer seller of pre-workout powders. It became a TikTok phenomenon and grew into a nine-figure supplements brand with a full range spanning protein powders, superfood blends, collagen boosters, and vitamins.

The virality didn't stop at the US border. Bloom had global audience demand, visible in organic search volume alone, and no infrastructure to serve it. They also had no presence on Amazon, one of the largest surfaces where that demand was actively searching.

Twelve months after partnering with OpenBorder, Bloom had tripled international revenue, lifted international conversion rates 40%, doubled Amazon UK and Mexico sales, and put international on track to exceed eight figures in profitable revenue.

The problem: demand without infrastructure

Bloom's challenge wasn't demand generation. It was everything that happens after a customer in another country decides to buy.

Four to five markets had to launch at once. Bloom's international opportunity wasn't sequential. The demand existed simultaneously across multiple regions, which meant a staggered rollout would leave revenue on the table in every market not yet live. Launching all of them in parallel was an intensive process.

Every product faced a different regulatory maze. Local labeling rules, import taxes, legal requirements, and reliable logistics partners, all of which vary by jurisdiction. Supplements carry some of the strictest ingredient and claims regulations in ecommerce.

Tax registration alone could take 4 to 12 months. Importing goods internationally typically requires a lengthy registration process with heavy KYC documentation. For a brand with active demand waiting, that delay translates directly into lost EBITDA and a loyal customer base going elsewhere.

Amazon was a missing channel. Based on organic search volume alone, Bloom could capture a healthy seven figures in EBITDA on Amazon, with room to grow beyond that with optimization. They weren't on it.

The team couldn't be pulled off the core business. Going international and launching on Amazon were both priorities, but not at the cost of diverting Bloom's best people away from the US market into international logistics and day-to-day marketplace operations.

Why OpenBorder

Bloom needed a partner who could do more than ship packages. They needed someone to act as the legal and operational entity on the ground in each market, while Bloom kept control of its brand.

OpenBorder's Importer of Record model answered that directly. By importing Bloom's products under OpenBorder's existing entities, Bloom skipped individual tax registrations entirely. No 4 to 12 month wait. No dedicated international finance staff to hire.

The solution

1. Compliance and cash flow, handled at the entity level

Tax compliance without registration. OpenBorder imports Bloom's products under its existing entities, eliminating the need for individual tax registrations in each market. This saves Bloom up to thousands per jurisdiction per quarter in fees, and removes the need for dedicated international finance headcount.

Deferred import VAT. Using OpenBorder's existing entities and deferral licenses, Bloom delays import VAT payments until the point of sale. Cash that would have been locked up at the border stays available for growth.

Full product compliance across the UK, Mexico, Canada, and the EU:

• Label compliance: local language, local measurement standards (grams vs. oz), and a designated local contact.
• Responsible Party: OpenBorder appoints itself as the Responsible Party, absorbing regulatory compliance risk and serving as the local compliance representative.
• Ingredient compliance: verifying ingredients meet regional regulations, communicating them correctly on labels, and registering with the relevant government bodies.
• Claims compliance: ensuring product claims match actual product details, on packaging and in marketing.
• Local registrations: securing mandatory licenses and registrations per region.

These requirements vary significantly in cost and timeline between jurisdictions. OpenBorder combined an experienced internal compliance team with an AI model to compress the process and keep disruption off Bloom's team.

2. A 40% conversion lift on the existing DTC site

Bloom was already shipping international orders from its .com when OpenBorder came in. An audit found the brand was losing margin and deterring customers with a sub-optimal experience.

Streamlined pricing and compliance. OpenBorder implemented jurisdiction-specific pricing formats, including multi-currency support and VAT inclusion or exclusion pre-checkout. This ensured local regulatory compliance and removed the pricing confusion that was costing conversions.

Faster, cheaper shipping. Analysis showed Bloom's prior carrier mix was producing high shipping costs that were being passed on to customers. OpenBorder optimized the carrier network and cost structure, delivering faster transit times at lower cost.

Market-level localization. Optimized FAQs and T&Cs, plus multilingual branded tracking pages. Individually small details. Combined, they produced a 40% increase in conversion rate.

3. Amazon and Mercado Libre, run as an extension of Bloom's team

OpenBorder launched and now manages Bloom's international marketplace presence, driving a 2x increase on Amazon UK and Mexico.

Compliance handled upfront. OpenBorder manages Amazon compliance for each target market, with complete documentation to avoid listing takedowns. For a supplements brand, a takedown is not a minor inconvenience; it's a market going dark.

Brand control stays with Bloom. OpenBorder operates as an extension of Bloom's team, not as a traditional distributor. Bloom retains control over brand messaging and marketing strategy. OpenBorder handles the backend from inventory management through shipping, and works with Bloom to develop localized content and PPC campaigns for non-English speaking markets.

Day-to-day operations offloaded. Listing optimization, inventory replenishment, and marketplace management sit with OpenBorder, freeing Bloom's US team to stay on the core domestic business. A weekly review call keeps both sides aligned.

In practice, Bloom provides a purchase order. OpenBorder does the rest.

Results

Revenue and growth

• 3x international revenue within 12 months.
• 2x increase on Amazon UK and Mexico, from a standing start on the channel.
• On track to exceed eight figures in profitable international revenue.

Conversion and customer experience

• 40% increase in international conversion rate following the DTC site optimization.
• Faster delivery at lower shipping cost, through an optimized carrier network.
• Multilingual tracking and localized checkout across target markets.

Operations and compliance

• 4 to 12 month tax registration delays eliminated through OpenBorder's Importer of Record model.
• Thousands saved per jurisdiction per quarter in registration fees.
• No dedicated international finance staff required.
• Cash flow freed through deferred import VAT until point of sale.
• Full regulatory compliance across the UK, Mexico, Canada, and the EU, with OpenBorder as Responsible Party.

"OpenBorder's partnership fueled Bloom's international sales on marketplaces like Amazon UK and Mexico, and TikTok Shop UK, achieving more than 3X increase."

Looking ahead

Bloom is expanding further into Amazon Canada and the EU. With products stored in local warehouses across multiple regions, Bloom will also begin shipping DTC orders from regional warehouses, which will sharply improve delivery speed and DTC profitability in those markets.