Mecca (company)
| File:Mecca Maxima, Westfield Carousel.jpg Mecca Maxima outlet at Westfield Carousel | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1997 in South Yarra, Australia |
| Founder | Jo Horgan |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 100+ (2024) |
Area served |
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Key people |
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Number of employees | 7400+ (2024) |
| Website | mecca |
Mecca is a beauty retail company originating from Australia, established by Jo Horgan in 1997. It currently runs upwards of 110 outlets across Australia and New Zealand, complemented by its e-commerce platform. The firm employs a workforce exceeding 7,000 individuals and retails products from more than 200 different brands.
History
The inaugural Mecca store was opened in Melbourne's South Yarra, financed through the sale of Horgan’s personal residence. The store introduced seven brands to the Australian market for the first time, including NARS, Stila, and Vincent Longo. During its initial four years, the enterprise operated at a financial loss.
Mecca expanded into the digital arena by launching its online store in 2001. Peter Wetenhall joined as co-CEO in 2005, and two years later, the company debuted its first New Zealand location. In 2017, Mecca phased out its Kit beauty brand and closed associated outlets, transitioning to the Mecca Max line instead. The brand also inaugurated its first Meccaland beauty festival in 2018.
In late 2019, following internal accusations related to discrimination and bullying, Mecca implemented a dedicated complaints hotline and engaged an external consultant to improve workplace culture. The COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary closures of physical stores in 2020 and accelerated the company's pivot towards online retailing. Mecca briefly ventured into the Chinese market through Tmall Global starting August 2020 but exited in November 2023.
July 2021 saw the launch of the Mecca Talks podcast, followed by a relaunch of Kit in August 2022 as a gender-neutral, plant-based skincare collection. An independent audit conducted in 2023 uncovered underpayments amounting to roughly $560,000 owed to about 1,600 employees between 2016 and 2022; these were subsequently rectified.
In June 2023, Mecca entered the UK market by offering its top-selling To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen via its UK website.
Looking ahead, Mecca intends to inaugurate a flagship store in Melbourne by August 2025 at 299 Bourke Street—a heritage building covering approximately 4,000 square meters across three floors. This venue will debut the Mecca Apothecary concept, which includes services such as naturopath consultations, ear seed therapy, and wellness products focused on six areas: sleep, calmness, sensitised skin, rituals, life cycles, and gut health. Upon opening, this flagship will represent the largest beauty retail space in the Southern Hemisphere.
Operations
Mecca is co-led by Jo Horgan alongside her husband Peter Wetenhall, who serves as co-owner and co-chief executive. The company’s headquarters and operational support centre are situated in Richmond, Victoria.
The retailer manages over 100 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand with three distinct formats: Mecca Cosmetica (a prestige boutique), Mecca Maxima (aimed at younger consumers), and Mecca stores that blend both concepts. Additionally, as of 2023, Mecca operates concessions within seven Myer department stores. Certain locations provide services including ear piercing, facials, injectables, brow shaping, and blow-drying.
In 2024, around 70% of brands available at Mecca are exclusive to their stores within Australia. The company oversees sales, marketing, and distribution for these exclusive brands. Their private label offerings include Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca Max, Kit, and Mecca-ssentials.
Employing over 7,400 staff members who receive an average of 200 hours of training during their first year, Mecca launched Meccaversity—an internal educational platform for beauty knowledge—in May 2020; this resource was later extended to customers as well. Serving approximately 4.5 million customers across Australia, Mecca supports its clientele through the Beauty Loop loyalty program which had around 2.9 million members by 2025.
Charitable contributions
Mecca introduced its social impact initiative, M-Power, in 2017 to support a range of charitable organizations. In 2022, the brand revitalized the M-Power program with a pledge of $25 million over five years dedicated to promoting gender equality.
Designer Nipa Doshi, originally from Mumbai and currently based in London, was selected as the 2025 recipient of the Mecca x NGV Women in Design Commission. This initiative invites designers to contribute new creations to the NGV's collection.
References