You beauty! Northside beauty companies take on Asia

Three innovative companies based on Brisbane’s Northside have Asia in their sights as a target export market for their Queensland-produced beauty and lifestyle products.

Minister for Trade John Mickel said that Northside businesses Maja International, Organic Island and Natural Vitality Australia were amongst 18 Queensland beauty, lifestyle and wellbeing businesses taking the opportunity to promote their products and services when Trade Queensland led its inaugural mission to attend the Cosmoprof Asia trade show.

“Organic Island are famous for their natural shell-packaged lip balm, and export their organic skincare products to Europe, the USA and the Pacific Islands from their head office in Fortitude Valley,” Mr Mickel said.

“Based at Brendale, Natural Vitality Australia supply and manufacture health supplements, functional foods and homoeopathy medicines with current export sales to the USA, Canada and Malaysia.

“Maja International is an Australian company based in New Farm. The Maja herbal peel and skincare ranges are researched and developed in Australia and used in beauty clinics, by dermatologists and therapists as well as in the home. Maja International offers full certificate training to beauty therapists who use the Maja Herbal peel and skincare range.

“Maja herbal peel is used in treatments for acne, pigmentation, anti-aging, stretch marks, sun-damaged skin and detox. The company exports its herbal peel and skincare range to Turkey, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore and Vietnam and are negotiating with companies in Europe and China for future distribution.

“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.

“Trade Queensland’s offices in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Taipei and Seoul attracted buyer delegations from their markets to attend Cosmoprof Asia and to meet with the visiting Queensland companies in Hong Kong.

“The State Government and Trade Queensland are committed to working with promising businesses like Maja International, Organic Island and Natural Vitality to strengthen Queensland’s economy for the future.

“This gave these Northside companies and other Queensland companies participating in the Trade Queensland mission an opportunity to pitch their products and services to buyers from across Asia,” 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, wellbeing and beauty industry such as consumer demand, effective packaging, import restrictions and regulations, and growth trends.

A total of 32 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

Maja International: Maria Jankovic Tel: 07 3358 3477 www.majainternational.com

Organic Island: Mark Power Tel: 07 3852 5020 www.organicisland.com.au

Natural Vitality Australia: Glen Gillard Tel: 07 3205 4622 www.nva.com.au

21 January 2009