Industry turns to the children

"The child-King". So is known the greater phenomenon of growth within the Brazilian market of health and beauty. The infant products segment in the last five years practically doubled its turnover and already moves R $ 1.11 billion a year, compared with the $ 582 million achieved in 2007. The average annual expansion is nearly 15%, according to data from the Brazilian Association of personal hygiene, perfumery and cosmetics (Abihpec). By volume, growth reaches 43%, from 32.8 million tonnes to 47 million. No wonder that the Brazil-which has become the third largest global consumer market for personal hygiene, perfumery and cosmetics-figure in second place in the children's products around the world.

"This market grows above normal for years, because the couples today have fewer children and the purchasing power of households is greater. Thus, all efforts go to the care of children ", explains the business unit Director of niches of Natura, Luiz Bueno.

One of the pioneers in exploring the segment in the country, with the mother-baby products in 90 years, the company has detected behavior differences also according to the age of the children, so it created the line Natura Naturé. "There are differences in the products depending on the stage of the child," says Bueno.

According to him, the products used on children from zero to two years has in the purchase decision. 3 to 6 years already begins a change because the child begins to give an opinion, since the bath becomes a moment of play and fun. From 6 years onwards, who decides, for the most part, is the child.

Attentive to the evolution of this market, the Gaucho Memphis also decided to invest and debuted on the market with the line of the Flintstones. After two years of product development, the company licensed to Warner characters, which refer to the fun, and mostly because the characters, male and female alike, are also on the minds of parents. The investment reached r $ 2 million, including skin tests and product licensing. The items are produced in two plants of company (born in Porto Alegre, for bar and Gate products, which manufactures liquid products-both in Rio Grande do Sul), and can reach up to 15 thousand tons of products per year. The company, the fifth largest manufacturer of soaps in the Brazilian market, hopes to increase its market share in the segment.

With annual revenues of $ 100 million, the Memphis wants to add more value to products and act more strongly also in the markets of Southeast and Northeast Regions.

A pioneer in the world market, with the baby shampoo, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) does not fear competition and believes that the arrival of new players in this market will help to further expand the business in the country. According to marketing manager of Johnson's Baby, Cristina Fonseca, today the company's children's line has about 100 products.

Another niche niches that became a bet for Natura is the products for men. The company has just relaunch the entire line Natura Man, after an intensive research on new habits of modern men. According to the marketing manager André Abreu, the male personal care segment grew 163 percent from 2006 to 2011 and should become the largest market in the world by 2015. "Today, 40% of men use SOAP for shaving, which opens business prospects for us," he says.

As women are also diverse shopping male market, Natura prepared the whole approach to the female audience, initially. "This includes our consultants, because they offer and women buy for her husband and children," he says. According to Abreu, the male grooming has three principal axes: hygiene, health and wellness, and beauty. "Get this last is more complicated, because it includes the aesthetic part, which is still an evolving issue in the masculine world", says the Executive, without revealing the values of investment on the line.

Also betting in the niches, the Memphis launched last year the Biocrema line for Men, which adds to the Senator in the portfolio. With more than 60 years, the State invested $ 1 million in this line composed of soaps and deodorants. "It is expected that the Men respond by 2% to 3% of revenue until the end of 2013," says the Director of sales Andrew Dallonder.