Hyvä at Scale: How Helen of Troy Upgraded 4 Global D2C Stores Ahead of Peak Season

A fast-paced Adobe Commerce transformation using Hyvä Theme, Hyvä Checkout, and Magebit's Venta theme - delivered in just five months

At Meet Magento Florida, Alex Brynou, Global Director of Systems Architecture at Helen of Troy, Kristaps Rjabovs, Managing Director & Co-Owner at Magebit, and Elina Loseva, Head of Marketing at Magebit, shared how they migrated four major D2C brands to Hyvä in just five months in their talk 4 Stores in 5 Months: A Hyvä Transformation for a $2B eCommerce Enterprise.

Project Snapshot: Helen of Troy’s Multi-Store Adobe Commerce Migration

Merchant: Helen of Troy
Brands: Hydro Flask, Osprey, OXO, Drybar
eCommerce platform: Adobe Commerce
Agency: Magebit
Region: North America & EMEA
Project timeline: 5 months
Challenge: Improve performance across 4 D2C storefronts, meet strict deadlines ahead of Black Friday
Hyvä Products Used: Hyvä Theme, Hyvä Checkout
Event: Meet Magento Florida 2025

Hyvä Project Scope and Key Results

Helen of Troy is no stranger to big challenges. With a diverse brand portfolio, a global eCommerce strategy, and more than 90 active digital projects each year, change is constant.

But in early 2024, they took on something especially bold: migrating four major D2C storefronts; Hydro Flask, Osprey, OXO, and Drybar; to Hyvä in just five months with the goal of faster performance, better Core Web Vitals, and a seamless shopping experience in time for Black Friday.

Despite a mountain of technical debt, dozens of third-party integrations, and tight internal timelines, the team delivered.

About Helen of Troy

Founded in 1968, Helen of Troy is a global consumer products company with over $2 billion in annual revenue. They design, develop, and market household, health, and beauty products through iconic brands. The company operates in more than 15 countries and manages a vast digital ecosystem spanning multiple platforms and markets. Their commitment to quality, innovation, and customer experience has made them a leader in the D2C space, making them a natural fit for a Hyvä-powered transformation.

Helen of Troy Brand Portfolio

Helen of Troy markets a wide range of consumer products through globally recognised brands across three business segments:

• Housewares: Hydro Flask, OXO, OXO Tot, Good Grips, SoftWorks
• Health & Home: PUR, Honeywell, Braun, Vicks, Kaz, Stinger, SoftHeat
• Beauty: Drybar, Hot Tools, Gold 'N Hot, Revlon, Toni&Guy, Bed Head

Why Helen of Troy Chose Hyvä for Adobe Commerce

Helen of Troy’s digital team knew performance was holding them back. Despite previous attempts to optimise their Luma-based Adobe Commerce stores, the old theme and outdated JavaScript made it nearly impossible to keep up with competitors.

They needed a cleaner, faster frontend and they needed it fast.

After years of watching the Hyvä ecosystem grow, they made the call: 2024 was the year to jump in.

Challenges of Scaling Adobe Commerce Across Multiple Global D2C Brands

This wasn’t a typical migration. It involved:

• 4 storefronts (5, counting different teams in the US and EMEA)
• 90+ concurrent internal projects
• Dozens of third-party tools and integrations (including Algolia, Adobe Target, and custom pixels)
• Complex brand teams, each with their own needs and timelines

On top of that, one brand (Drybar) was also migrating platforms at the same time. All stores had to be ready and stable ahead of peak trading season.

How Helen of Troy and Magebit Delivered 4 Adobe Commerce Stores with Hyvä

Helen of Troy’s internal architecture and project management teams, led by Alex (Global Director of Systems Architecture), partnered closely with Magebit to scope, structure, and deliver the project.

To move fast, they used the Venta Hyvä based theme and Hyvä Checkout, helping them avoid costly rework on customer account areas and cart functionality. That decision alone saved weeks of effort and gave the business the one-step checkout experience they’d been asking for.

Key Results

• Improved site speed and stability across all brands
• Massive reduction in stakeholder complaints and internal pressure
• Delivered all go-lives on time, before BFCM
• Successful rollout of Hyvä Checkout across multiple stores
• Internal teams trained and equipped to support Hyvä long-term

Page speed didn’t just improve, it finally broke through the ceiling imposed by legacy frontend code. Core Web Vitals are improving steadily, and further enhancements are already in the works.

What’s Next?

• Helen of Troy is trialling Cloudflare Zaraz to reduce pixel-related performance bottlenecks
• Refactoring legacy code and removing outdated customisations is ongoing
• Improvements to Page Builder and widget functionality are planned, making content optimisation easier for marketing teams

Lessons Learned

This was a technical transformation, but also an operational one. Helen of Troy’s team shared some key insights:

• Scope matters. They carefully mapped requirements brand-by-brand to avoid surprises.
• Structure your contracts. Each brand had a defined scope, giving Magebit clarity and focus.
• Plan your timeline. Clear communication with business teams helped align expectations and avoid conflicts.
• Support your team. Internal developers were brought into the Hyvä project early, ensuring a smooth transition post-launch.

Watch the Full Case Study Talk from Meet Magento Florida 2025

About Magebit and Venta

Magebit is a full-service eCommerce agency delivering innovative solutions for clients worldwide. With over 550 projects across 55 industries, Magebit partners with brands like Snap-on, Dunkin’, and Henry Schein to craft scalable, high-performing eCommerce platforms.

Magebit’s Venta theme, built on Hyvä, won the Innovator Award at Meet Magento New York 2024, showcasing their commitment to cutting-edge solutions.

Read more of their success stories with Helen Of Troy:

• Moving Hydro Flask to Hyva + Venta

• Reaching new heights with Osprey

• Cooking the new online store for OXO

Curious what Hyvä could do for your brand?

Explore Hyvä Commerce today and see what’s possible when performance, simplicity, and collaboration come together.

Learn more about Hyvä Commerce
Get Hyvä Theme
Explore Hyvä Checkout