Companies such as Nazih Group and Sawaya International are keen to make the move, according to Gulf News, with heads of both companies explicitly stating this intention during the industry event.
It comes at a time when the MENA region is seeing strong growth in beauty, predicted to be the fastest-growing region over the next five years by Euromonitor International, and Asia continues to dominate as countries such as India and China maintain their positions as key target markets for beauty players.
Seeking out distributors
A common hurdle facing the brands looking to break into the Asia market is securing local distributors with whom they can build up their supply chain in the region.
“We are looking for distributors and partners from different countries,” Nazih Group’s chief exec Wajih Hamad reportedly confirmed. “We are expanding our business through our distributors and new customers.”
According to rival Sawaya International, it too is hoping to pick up distributors in the region in the coming months, along with targeting other key strategic countries globally.
“We are targeting India, Pakistan, south of Russia, East Africa and West Africa,” Fadi Sawaya, CEO, stated.
Asia and UAE
Both Asia and UAE have been singled out recently as key markets for the beauty industry looking ahead, with Forbes recently reporting they are set to experience “an unprecedented beauty boom”.
“Strong consumer confidence, high literacy rates and high social media exposure are the main drivers of beauty and personal care products,” Amna Abbas, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, told the publication.
It’s most recent report on the country outlined that the mass segment will be boosted by the country’s large number of expatriates, while tourists will help premium see growth too.
The country saw 8% growth last year, Euromonitor observes, with this healthy level set to continue.