By providing high quality, high profile ranges of therapeutic and cosmetic products based on locally grown natural resources, Greek companies Korres and APIVITA have developed a positive, ultra-modern industry that has been met with overwhelming demand. George Korres, pharmacist and founder of the Korres Natural Products, described his principle as one based on “combining nature, science and aesthetics to create skin care products that are distinguished by their high content in natural active ingredients, while being safe, effective, uniquely packaged and reasonably priced.” Similarly, APIVITA, which claims to approach today’s consumers with “a sense of sensitivity and integrity”, focuses on manufacturing products with “the highest possible quantity of natural active ingredients” that are designed “to ensure ‘global’ treatment as opposed to ‘single-minded’ solutions”.
Both Korres, set up in 1996, and APIVITA, founded in 1979, have, over the last few years, expanded aggressively, with hundreds of products based on medicinal plants, essential oils, and other health-giving natural materials. Greeks nationwide gradually but very steadily took note of the presence of both companies, as the modern, aesthetically attractive, affordable products appeared in every other pharmacy. In fact, Korres Natural Products are found in over 3,000 pharmacies all over Greece, whilst the APIVITA range are sold in over 4,000 pharmacies.
Reliable natural ingredients, not miracles
George Korres, a leading expert in homeopathic remedies and herb-based products, developed the idea to create the full Korres range of products whilst running his pharmacy in Pangrati, Athens. In this high-tech laboratory, officially licensed by the National Drug Organisation, trained personnel and specialized production facilities still cater to consumers’ homeopathic needs. When Korres’ clientele asked for skin care products of the same quality and efficiency as his homeopathic remedies, he was inspired to create a range of skin, body and hair care products, hair colourants, a sun protection range and anti-cellulite products. Today, apart from having been widely welcomed by Greek consumers, Korres products can be found in leading department stores around Europe, the United States and the Far East.
The products’ success is based chiefly on the research and development that goes into each product, as well as their recyclable, fashionably basic packaging, on the high-quality raw materials used, on the fact that they are not tested on animals and on the simple approach of making “no inflated promises”. They are essentially also considered very ‘Greek’ products because they utilize to its best potential the beneficial element of local fruits, herbs, seeds and oils, thus simultaneously providing support to the local agricultural industry.
In the year 2002, the 120-staff-based company had a turnover of 7,55 million euros, whilst for the year 2003 it is predicted to reach 11 million euros, with a growth, which is extremely capital intensive and strongly targeted to exports. Abroad, Korres products are sold in upmarket department stores rather than pharmacies, and have much been lauded by the likes of top-level celebrities such as David Beckham and Kylie Minogue. In the UK, apart from being sold in stores such as Harvey Nichols , The Conran Shop and Liberty, Korres Natural Products are as of very recently sold in the first flag store abroad, with more international branches already underway. As of October 2003, the company will be expanding their European exports by also selling their products in Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark. Korres Natural Products have received three awards in 1998, 2000 and 2002, for Innovation and Manufacturing Processes, Entrepreneurship and Packaging Award and Merit for Corporate Identity respectively.
From aromatherapy to hard business
Nikos and Niki Koutsiana founded APIVITA as a natural extension of their long-held involvement in phytotherapy, aromatherapy and natural product development. Nikos Koutsianas has been the president of the Greek Union of Industries and Representatives of Cosmetics and Perfumes, and, together with his wife, was a founding member of the Greek Association of Ethnopharmacology.
Over 150 of APIVITA’s products are based on medicinal plants of “high biological value, bee products, essential oils and vitamins” under the brand names Propoline and Aromatherapy. With its ‘basic’ line introduced in 1990, APIVITA’s Aromatherapy range was amongst the pioneers of custom-made cosmetics, and was awarded in the Creative Review Annual in London earlier this year. The company also uses green tea water (65% in water solution) as opposed to the use of conventional water by most cosmetics manufacturers; an innovation, which reportedly offers a high-level of anti-oxidation, thus slowing the skin cells ageing process. Additionally, the company has product ranges designed for suncare, face, body and hair care, anti-cellulite products and perfumes. Like Korres, APIVITA has developed fully integrated manufacturing and extraction capabilities to produce most of the ingredients used in its products in-house.
With a staff of 105, APIVITA’s company sales in 2002 reached 15, 55 million euros, and it is estimated that for the closing year of 2003 the company’s turnover will witness an increase of 22%, and a turnover of one million euros for the same period from exports alone. By the year 2004, this number, within existing markets, is predicted to double. So far, the company exports to the UK, France and Spain and as of August this year its Aromatherapy line was introduced in the United States in the cosmetics chain Pure Beauty, which has 55 stores in the East Coast. APIVITA have received five awards, all in 2002, four for Packaging Design, and one for the Aromatherapy Prospectus.
