Boucheron Relaunches; Jimmy Choo Arrives in Argentina

Argentine fragrance distributor Greta will relaunch the Boucheron fragrance in Argentina July 2011. Renato Shapir, director, Greta, told GCI the company regained Argentinian distribution rights of the renowned brand after an agreement between Boucheron and Interparfums (with whom Greta has had a long-standing commercial relationship) was signed in December 2010.

Shapir also told GCI that, sometime in September or October 2011, Greta will launch the Interparfums’ Jimmy Choo fragrance in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru. Fragrance fans will be able to purchase the scent in a wide range of beauty retail outlets.

Puig Sells Maja Brand

Spanish beauty company Puig sold its Maja brand to Mexican beauty/pharmaceutical brand owner Grisi Group. Products under the Maja brand include fragrances for women, makeup, bar soaps and talcum powder. According to a press release, the acquisition is aimed at strengthening Grisi’s position in the international hygiene and cosmetics markets—Maja is currently retailed in more than 30 countries.

Grupo Grisi was founded by José Grisi in 1863, and has remained 100% Mexican-owned since. It has formed international alliances with brands such as Sara Lee and Dr. Scholl’s, among others. Currently, the company has presence in Germany, Bolivia, South Korea, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Spain, the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

CASIC Adds Members

In March 2011, the Associations Counsel of the Latin American Cosmetics Industry (CASIC) added two new members: the Salvadorian Cosmetics Chamber (CCS) and Energizer Holdings, Inc. CASIC now represents 10 Latin American cosmetics chambers of commerce (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Mexico and El Salvador) and eight international beauty companies: Energizer, Avon, Alberto Culver, L’Oréal, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Natura and Unique Yanbal.

Goodbye Beautyworld LA

Messe Frankfurt Argentina has decided not to hold the 2011 edition of Cosmesur Beautyworld Buenos Aires, one of the largest trade shows for a variety of beauty and beauty related fields in South America. “We have perceived changes in the market that have made it necessary for in-depth analysis of the needs this event should fulfill,” said Ezequiel Gorbaran, general manager, Cosmesur Beautyworld Buenos Aires.

The event was held for 17 years; Messe Frankfurt took over its organization in 2004 (the 11th edition) in an effort to professionalize the event. However, the Latin American market was not as profitable for the German company as other regions have been (including the Japanese (Tokyo) and Middle Eastern editions held in May 2011 and the Dubai Japan West (Osaka) editions to take place in October 2011.

BASF’s New LA Director

Jorge Sucar was named BASF’s new director for its home and personal care division in South America. Sucar, 39, will undertake the task to consolidate the integration of BASF and Cognis (acquired by BASF in 2010) and promote synergies in home and personal care. Sucar began his career acting as purchase manager, supply chain at Cognis Argentina. He joined BASF Argentina in 2008 as business center head for care chemicals, and, in May 2010, he was appointed to work in Brazil as detergents and formulators business manager for South America.

Targeting Mexico

U.S. company Oxygen Biotherapeutics (which developed a perfluorocarbon therapeutic oxygen carrier that has applications cosmetics) has signed an agreement with Mexican company Comercial Uni2 for the commercialization of the Dermacyte Oxygen Concentrate skin care line.

Comercial Uni2 now has exclusive rights to sell and distribute the line throughout Mexico, with the option to extend this arrangement to Central America.

Datamonitor Research shows that the market for skin care products in Mexico increased at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% between 2004 and 2009. And the National Chamber of the Perfumery, Cosmetics and Toiletries Industry of Mexico (CANIPEC) estimated a 5% growth in the cosmetics and toiletries sector for 2010.

Oxygen Biotherapeutics and Uni2 Oxygen believe that there is growing potential in Mexico’s fast-growing skin care market for their line oxygen-based skin care treatments.

The Dermacyte line includes the Oxygen Concentrate Cream and the Oxygenating Eye Complex, and the U.S. company is said to have another cosmetic line under development.

Cristina Kroll is a business journalist specializing in the beauty sector and living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has written for the main Argentine magazines related to the beauty business, and was a correspondent for French magazine Beauty Business News.

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