São Paulo – Brazilian companies participating in the BeautyWorld Middle East, a beauty product fair that took place last week, in Dubai, estimate that the contacts made at the fair may generate US$ 4.5 million in business over the next 12 months. This information was disclosed by the Brazilian Association of Toiletries, Perfumes & Cosmetics Industries (Abihpec), which organized Brazilian participation in the event in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).
According to the foreign trade analyst at the association, Silvana Gomes, who participated in the fair, consistent Brazilian participation in the event, since 2004, has resulted in "exponential" expansion of business in the Middle East. She said that the Brazilian pavilion was visited by all the clients the exhibitors already had in the region, as well as by new ones interested in the products.
"We felt greater quality in the contacts made," she said. In this respect, she pointed out that it is possible to speak about greater business, at least proportionally, as the number of participants was lower than last year. In 2008, 15 companies went, whereas in 2009, the number was 10, two of which are newcomers.
Apart from the contracts with importers, two of the companies participating signed agreements for using the Business Centre managed by the Apex and the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in Dubai. The Business Centre makes warehousing facilities available for storing products for spot delivery, as well as office space and a series of support services.
The two companies are Nunaat Cosmetics, a manufacturer of body and hair products, and Quasar Esthetic, a maker of laser equipment for aesthetic treatment. According to Silvana, Nunaat, for example, plans to use the premises as a distribution centre for direct sales on the local retail market.
She added that the main contacts made at the event were with businessmen from countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Egypt, Kuwait and Morocco. The main products shipped to the Middle East and North Africa are for hair treatment, like conditioners and moisturisers.
The Brazilian industry has a great differential, according to Silvana, as there is a "hair culture" in the country and, consequently, great variety of hair products, many still unknown in the Arab region. That attracts great attention of importers. As examples she mentioned items made from chocolate.
More regulation
In the United Arab Emirates, Silvana said that the Dubai Municipality has just implemented a new set of regulations for sanitary control of sector products. Although this should result in greater bureaucratic work for the companies, which will have to send documents to the emirate that were previously unnecessary, the measure is considered positive by Brazilian exporters, as it should inhibit the entry of pirate products, mainly from China.
The analyst said that exports to the Middle East and North Africa answer to around 2% of foreign sales by the 44 companies participating in the Apex and Abihpec promotion project. The figure may seem small, but according to her, the current figures are 100% the result of the project, as in 2004, when it was started, shipments were null.
Next year, apart from BeautyWorld Middle East, Abihpec also plans to promote exclusive actions in great markets in the region, like Saudi Arabia and Iran.
*Translated by Mark Ament
