Beiersdorf East Africa Limited, manufacturer of the NIVEA range of skincare products, has rolled out a specially formulated, new generation petroleum jelly for the local market.
According to Beiersdorf the new product is the result of a detailed market research program and study over several years, as the firm took time to gain a better understanding of the habits of Kenyan consumers and their unmet needs in their daily skin care routines. The outcome of this survey, is the first ever of its kind, designed for the unique needs of African skin.
Managing Director of Beiersdorf East, Central and West Africa, Mr. Mathieu Levasseur, the company noticed that consumers used multiple skin care products to achieve their desired level of care.
He added that the move to invest in the new African product range was part of the firm’s diversification plan, aimed at addressing a wide range of personal and skin care needs of a unique, yet rapidly growing multi-million-dollar African market. Kenya, he posited, was the first country in the whole Beiersdorf global network, to produce roll out the newly formulated and which will be exported to other markets from here.
Speaking at the launch, the Marketing Director of Beiersdorf, Mr. Francis Afulani highlighted that; “The African skin is unique in its character, with a stronger tendency to lose moisture, dry out and turn ashy-looking. While petroleum jelly remains a versatile product in most African homes, more than half of the consumers surveyed did not like the sticky, greasy feeling that it leaves. They are also aware of the lack of moisturisation, leading them to mix it with Glycerine”.
Afulani added that the firm’s new product was poised to be a game-changer in the general Petroleum Jelly market and is expected to drive it towards a higher standard of skin care.
“We intend to show Kenya and the rest of the African consumers that it is possible to innovate and design a responsive product that still meets global skin care standards and cuts across the entire economic spectrum,” he posited.
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