In this exclusive CanadianSME Small Business Magazine interview, Derek Pickford, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IDC Dermo, shares how science‑backed innovation and consumer trust have propelled IDC from a Québec‑founded skincare brand to a growing national and international presence. With over a decade of experience in the beauty and FMCG industries, Derek has built a reputation for driving purpose‑driven growth, forging strong partnerships, and championing data‑driven strategies that balance performance, sustainability, and authenticity in an ever‑evolving dermo‑cosmetics landscape.
Derek Pickford is Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IDC Dermo, a Canadian doctor-founded dermo-cosmetic brand recognized for its science-backed formulations and transformative results. In this role, he leads cross-functional teams spanning sales, marketing, digital, education, and business intelligence, driving growth locally and spearheading expansion across English Canada and international markets.
IDC Dermo has grown from a Québec-founded brand into a national presence with over 770 Shoppers Drug Mart locations. What were the defining milestones and strategies that enabled this expansion?
IDC Dermo was created in Québec with a clear mission: to deliver the best skin health to every consumer, no matter their skin journey. From the beginning, our first milestone has been product efficacy, grounded in the quality, concentration of high-performance dermo-cosmetic ingredients, and rigor behind every meaningful innovation. That relentless focus on performance allowed us to earn deep consumer loyalty: today, 1 in 3 IDC users purchase exclusively our brand for all their face care needs, an achievement that speaks volumes in such a competitive industry.
Building on this, we expanded through strong pharmacy partnerships, training programs for beauty advisors, and impactful marketing activations that brought our differentiated proposition to life. The national listing at Shoppers Drug Mart stores, driving the brand’s distribution to 1800+ locations, reflects both our brand’s credibility and the growing demand for Dermo-Prestige, science-backed Canadian skincare.
Looking ahead, our ambition is clear: by 2030, IDC aims to be the #1 anti-aging skincare brand in Canada, across local and international players. We will get there the same way we started, through uncompromising rigor, innovation, and delivering visible results that consumers trust and stay loyal to.
Your patented ReGen16 protocol sets IDC apart in addressing skin aging. Can you share how this innovation came to life, and why it resonates with Canadian consumers seeking science-backed skincare?
ReGen16 was developed to tackle aging differently: not by addressing individual concerns in isolation, but by acting simultaneously on the 16 key factors that drive skin aging. These include oxidative stress, glycation, visible collagen loss, and signs of irritation, all interacting within the skin’s surface. Our breakthrough was creating a protocol that intervenes on all 16 at once, providing comprehensive, visible results.
This simultaneous approach resonates strongly with Canadian consumers. They are discerning, results-oriented, and expect skincare to be both effective and trustworthy. ReGen16 delivers on that promise by combining pharmaceutical-grade rigor in research with highly concentrated high-performance dermo-cosmetic ingredients, while remaining straightforward for everyday use.In a market often crowded with quick fixes, ReGen16’s holistic, patented approach stands out as credible and effective. That trust has built long-term loyalty, positioning IDC as a brand that doesn’t just target skin concerns, it empowers confidence with science Canadians believe in.
With IDC balancing pharmaceutical-grade science and consumer accessibility, how do you ensure that highly advanced formulations remain approachable and understandable for everyday users?
At IDC, our goal is to empower, not overwhelm, consumers with science. Our formulations are advanced, with high concentrations of dermo-cosmetic ingredients, but our communication is simple and focused on outcomes: “address simultaneously the 16 signs of skin aging”, “visibly smooths 9 types of wrinkles”, “helps improve the look of skin density during menopause-related changes,” or “revitalizes the skin and helps support its natural balance”. These clear benefits help consumers immediately understand what IDC delivers.
We also design products with multifunctionality at their core. Instead of overwhelming consumers with long routines, we simplify their skincare journey with concentrated formulas that address multiple concerns at once. This practical efficiency builds trust while reinforcing the rigor behind our innovations.
Beyond results, we recognize that skincare is deeply linked to confidence, mental health, and overall wellness. Helping someone achieve healthier, more resilient skin directly supports their sense of self and daily well-being. That’s why we put as much care into education and consumer guidance, through packaging, training, and digital channels, as we do into formulation.
Our science gives results, but our mission is larger: to give confidence back to consumers, every day, through visibly healthier skin.
IDC has recently launched a $1.5 million R&D project, ReGen16 2.0. How does this next phase of innovation reflect your ambitions to scale not only in Canada but globally?
ReGen16 2.0 is our most ambitious step yet: a $1.5 million collaborative R&D project that will continue to build on our patented platform while exploring new frontiers such as epigenetics, hormonal aging, microbiome balance, and overall skin wellness. This evolution reflects our commitment to tackling aging holistically while integrating innovation that supports both visible results and long-term well-being.
Sustainability is also central. By using local Canadian bio-resources and collaborating with local businesses, we aim to reduce environmental impact while empowering our community, without ever compromising on results. Alongside this, we are investing in state-of-the-art testing technologies and equipment to further validate efficacy, ensuring every Canadian consumer, and future international partners, can trust that IDC products deliver on their promise.
This commitment reinforces our ambitions to be the #1 anti-aging skincare brand in Canada while establishing a foundation to scale internationally. ReGen16 2.0 will make our innovation stronger, our proposition more sustainable, and our results even more credible, giving consumers worldwide a reason to believe in Canadian excellence in skin health.
Looking ahead, what final piece of advice would you share with Canadian small and medium-sized businesses aspiring to scale sustainably while staying true to purpose-driven values?
Growth and purpose aren’t opposing forces, they strengthen one another. The greatest lesson from IDC’s journey is that authenticity builds trust, and trust is what drives sustainable scale.
My advice to Canadian SMBs is to clearly define what makes you uniquely credible, whether it’s a proprietary innovation, craftsmanship, or local roots, and protect it without compromise as you grow. Consumers quickly recognize when a brand is genuine, and that recognition becomes your greatest competitive advantage.
At the same time, remain agile. Listen closely to your customers, reinvest in innovation and people, and build partnerships that align with your mission. For IDC, staying true to our values, rigorous science, premium formulations, and a Canadian identity, has been the compass that guided us from a local success to a national presence, and now toward international growth.
Purpose doesn’t slow expansion; it makes meaningful growth, resilient, and built to last.
