(AUREA 2018 AWARD NOMINATION): KOOZMETIK – Natural cosmetics

Source: eKapija Monday, 19.03.2018. 14:40
Comments
Podeli
(Photo: Marija Strajnić)
The Belgrade-based company KOOZMETIK launched a local brand of handmade natural cosmetics, and in nearly three years, they've created unique formulas for hair, face, body and oral hygiene products, which have found their clients throughout the world. The development of new procedures and products continued in 2017 as well, when they were given a patent from the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia for their special Tooth Drops product, and the process of certification for the EU market was initiated as well.

The first technologists of the KOOZMETIK cosmetics were foreigners, and the founders, Belgradians Jovana Antic and Daniela Stankovic, put the final stamp on the products with their simple formulas.

All KOOZMETIK products are made in their premises near the Skadarlija Green Market in Dorcol. They are produced exclusively from natural ingredients, in small series, which enables them to always have fresh products and to harmonize the production with the sales. They are recognizable for their minimalist approach and a characteristic visual identity, and in addition to producing natural cosmetics, the company also insists on promoting healthy habits and the development of a new approach to life, inspired by nature, which is why they launched a unique project, RECYCLE POSITIVE ENERGY, in 2017.

KOOZMETIK already stands out as one of the leading companies for the production of natural cosmetics in the Serbian market. In 2017, they started exporting to Montenegro and signed an agreement with the French company Greezli. They also plan to export to the USA and the Scandinavian countries.

In 2017, they made over 30,000 products and realized a profit of RSD 1 million, whereas the sales amounted to RSD 13 million.

INNOVATION

(Photo: ESB Professional/shutterstock.com)
Nearly two years passed from the initial idea to the appearance of the first KOOZMETIK products in the market, during which period the founders researched formulas, tested them and attended courses and seminars on natural cosmetics in order to learn the entire process and be able to follow it.

In October 2015, they offered world-class natural cosmetics, fully produced in Serbia, to the local market.

The KOOZMETIK products feature no parabens, vaseline, petroleum, artificial colors and fragrances, and they use, in copious amounts, over 170 ingredients extracted from plants: almond and hazelnut oils, aloe vera, natural collagen, raspberry extract, wheat proteins, ethereal oils of rosemary and lime, vanilla, coconut and cantaloupe extracts and many others. Unlike other products in the market declared as natural cosmetics, which use prepared bases in which small amounts of ethereal oils are added, KOOZMETIK products are made entirely within the premises near the Skadarlija Green Market in Dorcol: natural ingredients are cooked, combined and mixed from various recipes, then packed, and the entire production process is done by hand.

Each product transparently displays to what extent it is natural, which is a rarity even in the foreign market. To clarify, products containing water cannot be 100% natural, but need to contain 1% of natural preservatives in order not to spoil, whereas cleaning products are 89-91% natural. All creams and oils are 100% natural.

A team of experts is involved in the production: pharmacists, technologists, doctors, dentists, biologists, technicians, as well as creative professionals working on enhancing the design and the visual identity, developing the brand and marketing. As this technology was not present in Serbia before, the first KOOZMETIKA technologists were foreigners – technologists from Greece worked on the initial formulas, but a team of experts of the Belgrade-based company, including Jovana and Daniela, gave the products their final shape.

Jovana and Daniela are also the inventors of the special Tooth Drops product, for which they were given a formal patent from the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia in late 2017 (Intellectual Property Gazette 2017/12). The tooth drops are meant for general dental hygiene. They are fully natural and based on St John's wort oil, tea tree, mint and laurel. They are used to remove tooth discoloration as a consequence of consumption of food containing artificial coloring, drinks and nicotine, to maintain gum and mouth hygiene, and they are also effective in ameliorating the symptoms of aphthous formations.

The company owns all local product quality certificates and they are also in the final stages of certification for the export and marketing in the EU, which should be completed by the end of March.

KOOZMETIK makes products in small series, which enables them to always have fresh products and to harmonize the production with the sale. The offer currently features 23 products: hair, body and facial care, as well as special products, of which 3 new ones became available in the market in 2017.

SOCIAL USEFULNESS

KOOZMETIK's idea is for nature's potentials to be used, while also protecting the nature. Their products are thereby made in line with the highest natural cosmetics standards and do not harm the human organism. They are also successful in socially responsible operations and take care of the environment by using recycled packaging, saving energy and making products by hand. The packaging for the majority of the products uses recycled paper and glass, in line with the natural cosmetics standards. For this reason, they also import the packaging, as there's no adequate packaging in the Serbian market. Furthermore, in order to avoid making compromises regarding the quality, they also import the majority of the ingredients.

The three main postulates KOOZMETIK strives to implement in its brand are: minimalism, the holistic approach and the essence. The cosmetics they make are simplified to the extreme in terms of the number of products, design and ingredients, as the concept is not just to produce exclusive cosmetics, but to also promote healthy habits and develop a new approach to life inspired by nature which provides a solution for everything – how to be healthy, happy, and then also beautiful. That is why they declare themselves to be cosmetics with an attitude.

To that end, they've also launched the RECYCLE POSITIVE ENERGY project, which has turned from a 2017 campaign into a business development principle. Designed from the start as the implementation of sustainable operations and a business model, supported by creativity, marketing and visual recognition, the project contributed to the promotion of the company and the strengthening of its operations and profitability through a stable growth of production and sales.

Through the development of the project, they've undertaken a much wider range of activities and, inspired by the less-is-more approach, established a model of being just sustainable.

Economically, this means that they:
- invest what they can;
- don't spend more than they earn;
- realize a positive result in each business activity/project;
- make plans based on real market demand;
- grow slowly but surely.

They've implemented the same concept in environmental care and protection by:
- using recycled materials;
- not harming the nature and using only the products it provides;
- not testing products on animals;
- respecting and optimizing the use of scarce resources – water, gas, electricity...

They have a thought-through, long-term marketing approach:
- they implement a differentiation strategy;
- they use self marketing less and share user experiences more;

- they educate about the importance of natural cosmetics;
- they hand out plenty of free samples and promotional material.

Regarding the social aspect, they:
- work with and for people;
- hire people (young and old) instead of machines;
- take part in numerous socially responsible endeavors and initiatives;
- plan to activate the young and the children with developmental disabilities;
- take care of the elderly and the sick, are active in various humanitarian events, donate and provide help to various vulnerable groups;
- support creative individuals and artists.

The results of the project are better than expected. Brand recognition has increased, new possibilities of business cooperation have opened, user awareness of the importance of natural products to the health is increasing and a responsible relation towards the nature is being built.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

(Photo: Tony Stock/shutterstock.com)
KOOZMETIK stands out in the market for its handmade production of top quality natural cosmetics, the kind of which Serbia lacked, as well as the visual identity, making it comparable to world brands in quality and design.

In Serbia, KOOZMETIK products can be found in the company's pop-up shop at the Usce shopping center, concept stores Supermarket and Makadam in Belgrade, the Mercator shopping center, Lilly and DM stores, certain pharmacies, such as Srbotrade and Prima, as well as in 3 IDEA Organic stores. Since last year, at the invitation of the company Dufry, their products have been available at the free shop at the Nikola Tesla Airport, where they are the only local cosmetics company present.

Due to the natural ingredients, each product made by this Belgrade-based company has a shelf life of one year, which is why they are not a mass brand, except for the Tooth Drops, which are available to the majority of the populace even regarding the price (RSD 500-800), unlike other products, which are more exclusive. In 2018, the tooth drops will be sold in all pharmacies (wholesale pharmacies have already been stocked). In the category of mass products, they have another two for this year: deodorants and lip balms (100% natural).

In 2017, the company officially started exporting to Montenegro and signed an agreement with the French company Greezli, which will be the representative for France and Switzerland. The export will start immediately following the process of certification for the EU, expected by the end of March. The plan is to also start officially exporting to the USA and the Scandinavian countries.

KOOZMETIK products are otherwise sold worldwide through the company's online shop. The first online order came from Japan, and they also get frequent orders from Australia, Canada, Sweden...

Since its foundation, KOOZMETIK has been developing steadily and has realized all the planned development phases and financial goals. The 2017 profit amounts to RSD 1 million, whereas the sales amount to RSD 13 million.

Even better results are planned in 2018. The prices of the products in the Serbian market are adjusted to the financial purchasing power of the customers. On the other hand, products of this kind of quality and composition cost 2-3 times more in Europe and the world. Upon the issuing of the certificate for the export to the EU, the prices in these markets will be comparable to the prices of other producers of natural cosmetics.

They are constantly investing in the development of the production and the brand and they've invested around a hundred thousand euros so far. For now, KOOZMETIK permanently employs 5 people and hires additional workers on temporary and occasional jobs and consultants and associates in production and sales.

If KOOZMETIK natural cosmetics are your investment of the year favorite, you can vote for them on the official website of the Aurea award.
Comments
Your comment
Full information is available only to commercial users-subscribers and it is necessary to log in.

Forgot your password? Click here HERE

For free test use, click HERE

Follow the news, tenders, grants, legal regulations and reports on our portal.
Registracija na eKapiji vam omogućava pristup potpunim informacijama i dnevnom biltenu
Naš dnevni ekonomski bilten će stizati na vašu mejl adresu krajem svakog radnog dana. Bilteni su personalizovani prema interesovanjima svakog korisnika zasebno, uz konsultacije sa našim ekspertima.