Kiwi beauty companies take on Paris

Media release

May 14, 2007

Flirting with the French

Kiwi beauty companies take on Paris and la Cosmetic Valley

This morning French time five seriously ambitious Kiwi cosmetic companies will be mingling with Paris's doyens of beauty at the New Zealand ambassador's residence.

Representatives from Trilogy, Skinfood, Art a Face, Living Nature and Antipodes will show off their products to 50 retailers and journalists from fashion and beauty magazines.

New Zealand ambassador to France Sarah Dennis said there had been a strong response to invitations to the breakfast event. "New Zealand beauty brands differentiate themselves in this market, built on the image of a clean and pure environment and high quality natural ingredients."

Several of the New Zealand companies' products are already available in the up-market Printemps department store in Paris, as well as through specialist distributors.

"The New Zealand natural products industry is comprised of around 250 companies generating export revenues of NZ$300 million per annum, said Ariane Gonzalez, Trade Commissioner for France with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), which organised the event. "Europe offers significant opportunities for further growth, and builds on established markets in Asia and North America."

Not content with just Paris, company representatives will then take part in a NZTE-organised fact finding tour of Cosmetic Valley, home to France's best known beauty brands.

The industry cluster is based on the towns of Chartres and Orleans about 100 kilometres from the French capital and includes the manufacturing plants for Christian Dior, Guerlain, Paco Rabanne, Maybelline and Yves Saint Laurent among 200 perfume and cosmetic companies, as well dozens of research and development facilities and centres of learning.

Also taking part in this visit are New Zealand companies Comvita, New Zealand Grape Seed Company and Sea Dragon Marine Oils, keen to expand their knowledge of how market leaders are tackling the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants, extraction of their active elements, formulation techniques, and filling, packaging and plastic injection methods.

Michelle Beckett, executive director of Natural Products New Zealand, the industry body representing over 80 percent of this country's natural health product manufacturers and marketers, said products were largely based on compounds derived from plant and animal sources unique to New Zealand.

"I'm not surprised Paris is excited by our brands. The scope for expansion of the market for New Zealand's innovative natural products is almost unlimited."

After Cosmetic Valley, the Kiwi companies move on to Valencia where NZTE has arranged a biotech and functional foods themed event at the Americas Cup village.

Notes for Editors:

Trilogy's range of skin care products are natural and based on organic rosehip oil. Started by Wellington sisters Sarah Gibbs and Catherine Wells it is now one of the fastest growing natural-product brands in the world. www.trilogyproducts.com

Skinfood produces a range of unisex skin care products sourced from New Zealand and Pacific sources in Auckland. www.skinfood.co.nz .

The Art a Face skincare range is developed and manufactured in Auckland using elite natural ingredients and leading edge technology. www.artaface.com

Kerikeri-based Living Nature employs 70 people and produces a range of natural skincare products which utilise the properties of New Zealand plants, honeys and clays. www.livingnature.com

Antipodes, from Wellington, produces natural skincare products based mainly on pure New Zealand avocado oil. www.antipodesnature.com

Bay of Plenty-based Comvita Ltd is a natural health and wellness company which produces therapeutic apicultural products and achieved export sales of $18.7 million in 2005. www.comvita.com

The NZ Grapeseed Company produces extracts from grape seeds which are used as ingredients for capsules, functional foods and personal care applications, based on their excellent anti-oxidant properties. www.extractsnz.co.nz

Sea Dragon Marine Oils Ltd, based in Nelson, manufactures, develops and concentrates science-based natural bioactive ingredients, as well as being a refiner and blender of fish oils. www.seadragon.co.nz

Yellow Culture is a New Zealand-based company helping cater at the networking event in Valencia. With UK partners it has developed and marketed a range of functional dairy foods, such as specially shaped cheeses designed to appeal and provide health benefits to children. www.yellowculture.com

Cosmetic Valley is an industry "competitive cluster" for beauty and wellbeing, recognised by the French Government since 2005 and as such benefits from subsidies for its research programme. www.cosmetic-valley.com

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is the New Zealand government's economic development agency. The events to grow the market for New Zealand natural products in France and Europe were developed as part of its biotechnology sector strategy. www.nzte.govt.nz

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