São Paulo – Realgem’s, Brazil’s main producers of cosmetics for the hotel sector, has started exporting to Africa and South America and is interested in entering new markets, among them Arab ones. According to the commercial director of the group’s hotel sector, Mauro Carvalho, Realgem’s started exporting two years ago and the products go to Uruguay, Paraguay and Angola. “But we are open to negotiating with any country in the world,” he said.
To understand the other regions, including those in the Arab world, the company is seeking distributors. “I believe that there is demand in the Arab market, but I do not yet have a study,” explained the commercial director. Realgem’s participates in BeautyCare, a Brazilian Association of Toiletries, Perfumes & Cosmetics Industries (Abihpec) and Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) program to foster sector exports, which is turned to the Emirates, one of the project’s target markets.
Renowned in the amenities area, Realgem’s makes both hotel products, which are distributed to guests, and cosmetics for the retail market. In amenities, apart from shampoos, liquid and block soap, conditioners and hair lotion, produced by Realgem’s, there is also the trade of tissues, shower caps and shaving gear, among others. The latter are produced by outsourced suppliers and sold to the company, which simply packs them.
The company supplies 4,000 hotels in Brazil, says Carvalho. Among the amenities, 70% are delivered using the hotel’s brand. The remaining 30% carry Realgem’s several brands, among them Terra Brasilis, Florence, Princess, Donna, Uomo and Real Golden. Apart form that, the company has partnerships with famous brands. This is the case with Alexandre Herchcovitch. Realgem’s makes lines of amenities under the stylist’s name.
The company produces five million miniature products a month. A large part remains in the domestic market. “Exports are small, but are growing and are going to grow very much,” said Carvalho. The executive says that, abroad, the products are sold to retail chains and hotels, some of the latter using the Realgem’s brands and others those of the client. Tax breaks are among the advantages for exports, when faced with a rather high Brazil Cost, says Carvalho.
The company’s internationalisation programme arose from a decision taken three years ago and that also involves partnerships with brands from abroad. Realgem’s has concession for production and trade in Brazil of the Italian amenities brand La Bottega dell’Albergo. There is already a contract for the supply of products to the Fasano hotels. The company is also negotiating with another two international brands, says the commercial director.
Realgem’s is a holding with four companies that has three industrial units. One of them, covering 2,500 square meters, is in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná. The other two, one covering 5,000 square meters and the other, 500 square meters, are in Colombo, in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. The smallest plant makes plastic products for the bottles and caps of Realgem’s products. The company invested some R$ 2.5 million (US$ 1.2 million) on expansion of its productive capacity over the last two years.
The group employs 180 people and was established in 1989 by Jorge Carvalho de Oliveira, Mauro Carvalho’s father and the current president of the group. Mauro helped his father create the amenity area. The organisation is an unlisted family business, but, according to the commercial director, is getting ready for listing.
Contact
Realgem’s
Telephone: (+55 41) 3907-9900
Site: www.realgems.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
