South East Asia

Kao releases its mid-term K20 plan

Kao releases its mid-term K20 plan

By Natasha Spencer

On 18th May 2017, cosmetics and chemical name, Kao, revealed its 2017 Integrated Report detailing how it plans to expand globally over the next four years.

Luxasia and Anchanto e-commerce beauty agreement

Luxasia and Anchanto to advance e-commerce beauty

By Natasha Spencer

Beauty products distributor, Luxasia, provides funding to Singapore-based e-commerce platform, Anchanto, to support its expansion plans in Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets.

Herballines and DKSH team up to target Myanmar

Herballines and DKSH team up to target Myanmar

By Natasha Spencer

Asia-focused market expansion services specialist, DKSH, has partnered with personal care manufacturer, Paradise Products, to increase the awareness and sales of its Herballines brand in the Southeast Asian marketplace.

Unilever and EAC Myanmar joint venture

Unilever and EAC partner in Myanmar

By Natasha Spencer

European consumer goods conglomerate, Unilever, and manufacturer and distributor, Europe & Asia Commercial Company (EAC), have launched a joint venture targeting Myanmar and the Asia- Pacific (APAC) markets.

Cosmetic imports to Vietnam exceed €1 billion

Cosmetic imports to Vietnam exceed €1 billion

By Natasha Spencer

Trade Map of the International Trade Center (ITC) and the World Bank (WB) reveals that the value of imported cosmetics entering the Vietnam market has more than doubled from below $500 mn (€469 mn) in 2011 to over $1.1 bn (€1.03 bn) in 2016.

Frutarom acquires Vietnam’s Western Flavors

Frutarom acquires Vietnam’s Western Flavors

By Natasha Spencer

Natural speciality fine ingredients business, Frutarom, has agreed to acquire Vietnamese Western Flavors and plans to build a new flavours plant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to help expand the business throughout the country and the wider APAC region.

Thai-based Shouvy launches skin whitening range

Thai-based Shouvy launches skin whitening range

By Natasha Spencer

Hailed as Thailand’s latest brand to “whiten, lighten, and brighten the skin”, Shouvy leverages the popularity of APAC’s skin whitening trend with Thailand’s prosperous cosmetics market.

Cosmax increases sales by 42% through strategic approach

Cosmax increases sales by 42% through strategic approach

By Natasha Spencer

Through its global expansion, focus on home shopping convenience and collaborations with pharmaceutical and fashion brands, the South Korean cosmetics ODM increased sales by 42% to 757 bn won (€621.58 mn) in 2016.

AmorePacific business results

AmorePacific: Do business results indicate move away from Korea?

By Natasha Spencer

As AmorePacific displays a positive picture of its 2016 business results, we consider whether the conglomerate’s efforts to up its presence in APAC counterparts Thailand and Singapore is an attempt to offset economic and political difficulties.

L’Oreal Thailand opens green distribution centre

L’Oreal Thailand opens green distribution centre

By Natasha Spencer

As L’Oreal Thailand opens its green distribution centre at TPARK Bangna, the sustainability-driven facility is Asia’s first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver level green distribution centre, reported business publication...

Reckitt Benckiser Malaysia account awarded to Optimedia

Reckitt Benckiser Malaysia account awarded to Optimedia

By Natasha Spencer

FMCG leader, Reckitt Benckiser Malaysia, has selected Malaysian advertising and marketing company, Optimedia, to become its media agency partner, according to a report published by Asia’s news outlet, Marketing.

Eurofragance opens Singapore fragrance facility

Eurofragance opens Singapore fragrance facility

By Natasha Spencer

Spanish fragrance designer and manufacturer, Eurofragance, inaugurates its Singapore plant as part of its corporate strategy to access growth opportunities in APAC.

Creating new halal markets

The evolution of the halal trend part I: Creating new target markets

By Natasha Spencer

As the number of facial skin care products with Halal claims in APAC continues to rise steadily, we asked Sharon Kwek, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Innovation and Insight Analyst at Mintel about latest developments and how the market in APAC compares...

What’s next for natural ingredients in APAC?

Gastronomia part 2: What’s next for natural ingredients?

By Natasha Spencer

With companies taking inspiration from the food and drinks industry, we asked Sharon Kwek, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Innovation and Insight Analyst at Mintel how the sector is impacting ingredient selection, emerging product lines and consumer control.

Natural ingredient trend

Gastronomia part 1: natural products with a DIY twist

By Natasha Spencer

As consumers continue to opt for natural  ingredients, we spoke to Sharon Kwek, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Innovation and Insight Analyst to find out how this popular trend is developing and the new product launches in APAC leading the way.

Anti-pollution product launches in APAC

Anti-pollution product launches Part I: Why APAC is the region of choice

By Natasha Spencer

As market research company, Mintel, finds over a third of all anti-pollution products in 2016 have been launched in APAC, we spoke to Sharon Kwek, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Innovation and Insight Analyst at Mintel to find out why brands are specifically...

Halal fragrances in APAC

Halal fragrances to lead growing ethical sector, report states

By Natasha Spencer

Increasing awareness among consumers about halal-certified products boosts the demand for Halal cosmetics and the fragrance sector, in particular, which is expected to generate the largest CAGR during the forecast period.  

Emogreen wins functional ingredients award

Seppic’s Emogreen wins functional ingredients award

By Natasha Spencer

As Seppic Asia’s Emogreen won the best prize in the functional ingredients category of the Best Ingredient Awards Innovation at in-cosmetics Asia 2016, we spoke to Marty Lumain, Asia Pacific Beauty Care Marketing Manager at Seppic about the product and...

R&D investment in Asia-Pacific

How brands can evolve in personal care market part III

By Natasha Spencer

Part III: Using science and nature to launch productsIn the final part of our interview, we spoke to Vito Consiglio, Vice President, Personal and Home Care, Ashland, about how Ashland is responding to regional trends and consumer demands by investing...

Active Derm Singapore skin care products online

Active Derm Singapore skin care products go online

By Natasha Spencer

The Singaporean skin care producer has launched its variety of skin and hair care products online in a move that reflects Asia-Pacific's (APAC) focus on e-commerce and digital marketing.

Ashland’s new brand identity in APAC

How brands can evolve in personal care market part I

By Natasha Spencer

Part I: Brand IdentityAs the personal care industry in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region continues to develop and compete with its US and European counterparts, we take an in-depth look at one of the leading brands focusing on the APAC marketplace.In this...

Croda invests in laboratories in Asia Pacific

Croda invests in three new laboratories in APAC

By Natasha Spencer

Croda International, the British speciality chemicals company, has furthered its plans to open three new laboratories in Greater China, Republic of Korea and Indonesia.

in-cosmetics Asia 2016

Personal care brands prepare for in-cosmetics Asia 2016

By Natasha Spencer

in-cosmetics Asia 2016 is set to reveal the latest trends to dominate the Asia-Pacific (APAC) marketplace and will highlight what the personal care and ingredients sectors can expect to see going into 2017.

Halal cosmetics in Asia

Strong R&D developments expected for halal cosmetics

By Natasha Spencer

As the halal cosmetics trend remains prominent within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market, the upcoming in-cosmetics Asia event in Bangkok will explore the growing halal cosmetic products market and how it is set to develop in the future.