You beauty! Gold Coast beauty companies take on Asia

Nine innovative companies from the Gold Coast area have Asia in their sights as a target export market for their Queensland-produced beauty, lifestyle and wellbeing products.

Minister for Trade John Mickel said that the Gold Coast businesses - IHI Australia, Lisco Investments (Rosecrown), Grahams Natural Alternatives, Nutralife Australia Pty Ltd, Heat Wheat International Pty Ltd, Aqi Care Pty Ltd, Designer Physique, MooGoo Skincare, and Jasmin Skin Care Pty Ltd (based at Mt Tamborine) - formed a major contingent amongst 18 Queensland beauty, lifestyle and wellbeing businesses that promoted their products and services when Trade Queensland led its inaugural mission to attend the Cosmoprof Asia trade show.

“The Gold Coast continues to prove itself an excellent home to a great number of businesses that are all capable of succeeding in exporting their lifestyle, wellbeing, cosmetic and other beauty products overseas,” Mr Mickel said.

“The State Government and Trade Queensland identified Cosmoprof Asia 2008 as a strong vehicle for promotion of Queensland’s growing natural health products and cosmetics industries in Asia. Exhibitors from around 40 countries and an estimated 20,000 international visitors attended the trade show.

“Cosmoprof presented these Gold Coast companies, and others participating in the Trade Queensland mission, with a golden opportunity to pitch their products and services to buyers from across Asia.

“IHI Australia’s attendance at Cosmoprof this year has assisted the company to enter positive negotiations with a major distributor covering Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly for IHI’s Ladybird brand women’s health and weight management products. IHI’s natural health food products are also attracting buyers in New Zealand, other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

“Lisco Investments produce rose oil enriched skincare products, organic essential oils, skincare ranges, massage oils, soaps and personal care products and are targeting the Asia market while Aqi Care is extending its existing distributor arrangements in Asia to market their extensive selection of natural active skincare ranges for both adults and babies.

“Grahams Natural Alternatives are focusing on the US and Asia for overseas sales and are in the business of producing natural alternative skincare products, while Nutralife Australia Pty Ltd produce a range of bulk ingredients for the food and nutraceutical industries. The company is already making sales in the US, the EU and Korea.

“Heat Wheat International has attended Cosmoprof for a number of years and is now exporting to 14 countries after starting to exhibit at trade shows four years ago. Their mission is to make their range of pain relief products available to everyone in the world who has access to a microwave. The wheat in their products is specially treated to be useful as hot packs or cold packs for pain management.

“Undertaking their first foray into overseas markets, Designer Physique manufacture a range of 100% natural, gluten-free health food products for use in health and longevity, detox and weight loss programs including immune boosters, digestive boosters, greens boosters and a range of seven low-allergy, artificial additive-free proteins for use in meal replacements.

“MooGoo Skincare have experienced considerable success with internet sales of their therapeutic natural skincare products in Europe, the US and Asia.

"Meanwhile, Mount Tamborine’s Jasmin Skincare Pty Ltd is already a successful international business recording strong sales of its certified organic skincare, cosmetics and health supplement products to China and Hong Kong.

“Trade Queensland’s offices in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Taipei and Seoul assisted our Queensland companies by attracting buyer delegations from their markets to attend Cosmoprof Asia and to meet with them in Hong Kong.

“The State Government and Trade Queensland are committed to working with promising businesses like these to strengthen Queensland’s economy for the future,” Mr Mickel said.

The trade show focused on the key lifestyle and wellbeing sectors including cosmetics, perfumery and toiletries, professional beauty salon products and equipment, packaging, raw materials, machinery, private label and contract manufacturing, hair products, equipment, salon furnishings and natural health products.

It also included seminars and presentations by industry leaders highlighting new developments in Asia affecting the lifestyle and beauty industry such as consumer demand, effective packaging, import restrictions and regulations, and growth trends.

A total of 32 company delegates participated in the Queensland trade mission and had the opportunity to meet with senior executives and potential buyers from Asia’s major import and distribution companies and also to inspect leading department stores and retailers in Hong Kong. Cosmoprof Asia 2008 was held in Hong Kong from 12 to 14 November.

Media contact: 3237 1944

IHI Australia: George Papanikolaou Tel: 07 5529 4123 www.ihiaustralia.com

Lisco Investments: Daisy Lee Tel: 886-2-25712116 www.rosecrown.net

Grahams Natural Alternatives: Geoff Graham Tel: 07 5596 1708 www.itchy.net.au

Nutralife Australia: Neil Rance Tel: 07 5522 0037 www.nutralifeaust.com

Heat Wheat International: Wendy Ragg Tel: 07 5519 4566 www.heatwheat.com

Aqi Care: Brian Baldwin Tel: 07 5537 8121 www.aqicare.com

Designer Physique: Tony Sfeir Tel: 07 5520 5547 www.designerphysique.com

MooGoo Skincare: Craig Jones Tel: 07 5522 1979 www.moogoo.com.au

Jasmin Skincare Pty Ltd: Gordon Chalmers Tel: 07 5545 2066 www.jasminskincare.com