Dubai, UAE: Global manufacturers of personal care and hygiene products are turning to the Middle East and African (MEA) market for future business growth, with the Beautyworld Middle East exhibition in Dubai presenting the ideal gateway to the entire region.
Exhibitors from as far away as Korea and Indonesia to Switzerland, Spain, or the USA, are making a beeline for Beautyworld Middle East 2017, as they set sights on a MEA market where consumer spending on personal care and hygiene continues to rise.
According to analysts Euromonitor International (EMI), the MEA’s combined retail value for bath and shower products, oral care, deodorants, baby and child-specific products, sun care, and depilatories, was worth US$7.7 billion in 2016. That figure will increase 4.8 per cent annually, reaching US$9.3 billion in 2020.
Bath and shower was the largest product category by value last year (US$2.7 billion) according to EMI, followed by oral care (US$2 billion), deodorants (US$1.5 billion), baby and child-specific products (US$1 billion), sun care (US$266 million), and depilatories (US$245 million).
The robust regional growth represents a market full of untapped opportunity for global players at Beautyworld Middle East, which takes place from 14-16 May 2017 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The three-day event is the region’s largest trade fair for beauty products, hair, fragrances, and wellbeing, and will feature more than 1,500 exhibitors from 60 countries when it opens for the 22nd time next month.
More than 50 of these will occupy their own hall at the show’s new Personal Care and Hygiene section, which was given its own dedicated status in 2017 in response to rising demand.
Maystar Cosmetica is one of 56 Spanish companies exhibiting this year, and while it specialises in luxury skincare, it will also introduce its entire portfolio of hair removal products under the brand name Starpil.
CEO Dennis Bonan De Vries, said 2017 will be the third straight year for Maystar Cosmetica at Beautyworld Middle East, as the company continues to build on its solid distribution network across the wider region.
“Beautyworld Middle East is for us the key that opens doors to the entire region,” said De Vries. “The exhibition manages to attract attention and rises expectations in this area, which is the main aspect we have taken into consideration. We’ve managed to start business not only in the UAE, but also in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and even Uzbekistan.”
Hunabiofarm from Korea is another exhibitor that manufactures daily hygiene products such as shampoo, body washes, facial mask packs, soap and deodorant. The debut exhibitor is one of 48 Korean companies at Beautyworld Middle East 2017, and will launch its latest organic range aimed at the eco-conscious consumer.
Sungchul Park, the President of Hunabiofarm, spoke of the importance of the Middle East market to Korean manufacturers: “The Middle East by itself is an important market due to its geographical location, and proximity to other global markets,” he said.
“It sits between Asia and Europe, and so success in the Middle East means an opportunity of stretching business to Europe. Thus, it’s an important strategic spot and a test bed.
“We’ve found Korean brands tend to be popular in this region due to their quality. Korean products and services have high value and are unique in their Korean features. Also, the good impression on Korean culture by Korean TV shows and K-pop plays a part,” added Park.
Meanwhile, Parsenn-Produkte, a small family-run business based in the Swiss Alps, is looking for distributors in the GCC for its best-selling TAL Hand, Foot, and Baby care Lines. CEO Oliver Lüscher, said: “After more than 40 years of success in the Swiss market, we would like to set foot in the UAE, GCC as well as Asia and start exporting our products. Our bestselling TAL products with the purity, authenticity and technology of Switzerland have a huge potential to be successful worldwide.
“We use only the highest quality locally grown Edelweiss and Grapeseed oil extract combined with state-of-the art processes, and we’re grateful to use the cleanest and purest mountain spring water in our products. TAL is also currently the only brand providing a complete hand care system for all hand care needs. Our Nail-Oil-Serum as well as the Serum Anti-Age are totally unique products,” added Lüscher.
“At Beautyworld Middle East, we’ll unravel the well-kept Swiss secret TAL professional skin concept and display our hand care lines, as well as our exquisite TAL Baby line, which is based on natural ingredients.”
Personal Care & Hygiene is one of six dedicated product groups at Beautyworld Middle East, with the others being Hair, Nails, & Salon Supplies; Cosmetics & Skincare; Machinery, Packaging, and Raw Materials; Professional Equipment, Spa & Wellness; Fragrance Compounds & Finished Fragrance.
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Beautyworld Middle East, said: “Good grooming and personal care have always been important to both men and women in the Middle East and this is underlined by the increasing demand for various daily hygiene products across the region.
“Beautyworld Middle East’s new Personal Care and Hygiene section caters to this growing demand, where traders, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, importers and exporters will find the full gamut of daily products on offer, from baby and dental care, deodorants, detergents and homecare, to tissues, wet wipes, and toiletries.”
Beautyworld Middle East is an ideal B2B platform for global players to launch their latest products and network with thousands of professionals from throughout the wider region and beyond.
An ever-expanding list of special event features will also ensure visitors come away inspired, educated, and rejuvenated. The captivating highlights in 2017 include Centre Stage by Nazih Group; Battle of the Barbers; Sensorial Journey by Carita & centdgres; Quintessence: the art of perfume; Hair Education by ghd; Nail It! By Artistic and OPI; the Business in Beauty Summit; and Face it! by Mehron and Madi International.
More information is available at: www.beautyworldme.com.