Beter has been in the business of personal care for more than 80 years, leaning on a diversified distribution strategy which includes travel retail, pharmacies and department stores. That diversified strategy has helped Beter manage its way through the COVID-19 crisis.
In this interview, Beter Travel Retail Manager Javier Estrada Clavell and Beter Deputy Sales Director Carla Armengou discuss the aftermath of the health crisis and how the company is leveraging pandemic-related consumer behaviour to boost recovery.
They also talk about the growing importance of ecommerce and preview what industry stakeholders can expect at their #Virtual Stand BT-S6 at the upcoming Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo.
“COVID-19 will surely reshape consumer behaviours in ways we may not understand yet,” said Estrada Clavell and Armengou who are already adapting Beter’s product assortment to better suit to the needs of the COVID-era traveller. “However, Beter will keep striving to adapt our range and provide customers with satisfying personal care rituals.”
The Moodie Davitt Report: What is the major focus for Beter at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo? What lines, launches or campaigns will you emphasise and showcase?
Javier Estrada Clavell and Carla Armengou: Beter has been a personal care and beauty companion for people around the world for over 80 years. Our aim for the future and for the Virtual Travel Retail Expo in particular, is to develop close partnerships with travel retail stakeholders. This is so we can continue to support travellers — now even more than ever — with products that will allow them to take care of themselves and feel at home wherever they go.
We will showcase our full main range of manicure-pedicure, haircare, brow styling, makeup and facial care products. These include the Beter Elite range, our high end and exclusive quality proposal and Beter Beauty Care, which offers wide range of personal care products. The Beter Beauty Care line also includes an array of grab-and-go display formats that have historically performed well in travel retail. We are always evolving and introducing new innovations that improve the day-to-day user experience of our products.
In addition to these core lines, we are presenting special editions such as the Natural Fibre collection, which features a complete range of hair and beauty tools made with biodegradable materials. We are also debuting Haan, a disruptive hand sanitiser brand that blends style, functionality and an excellent CSR programme that aims to combat the global water crisis.
What are your major targets by geography, channel or retailer type as you seek to tap into a recovering market?
Our current strategy is to strengthen our position in Europe, which is our home market and where we first launched into travel retail. We also want to maintain our growth in Americas and Middle East travel retail and develop our partnership network in the Asia Pacific region.
The pandemic crisis has paved the way for the rise of the at-home beauty market. Do you see Beter tapping into this opportunity and launching more at-home products in the future?
Throughout the pandemic crisis, we have seen an increased demand for at-home beauty and personal care products and services such as facials, manicures, pedicures and the like, which is exactly what we specialise in. We see this trend as an opportunity and want to provide our customers the best products for their at-home self-care routines. To an extent, pandemic-related consumer behaviours like this don’t just represent our future, but also our past and present.
COVID-19 will surely reshape consumer behaviours in ways we may not understand yet, but Beter will keep striving to adapt our range and provide customers with satisfying personal care rituals.
Given how the pandemic crisis has accelerated the ecommerce trend, do you see ecommerce as a potential growth channel for Beter?
Beter launched an ecommerce platform back in 2010, and it has since grown to become an important channel for the company. During the pandemic, our ecommerce sales grew exponentially and so expectations for this channel are now very different from pre-pandemic times. Over the last few months, we have also identified new digital opportunities in areas such as D-I-Y beauty. We are also working to improve our product formats and overcome pain points within the online and offline Beter customer journey.
How has the COVID-19 crisis impacted your business and where do you see the green shoots of recovery?
The health crisis has affected the company in a number of ways. We have implemented home-working and our sales force have had to rethink the way they work. The threat of a global recession is also negatively impacting our value chain from suppliers, clients, retailers and end-customers.
However, personal care products, which contribute most of our portfolio are still needed during the crisis. Innovative hand sanitiser company Haan, for example, offers a very interesting proposition for customers who are now looking for more hygiene and sanitation products. We have a diverse business model — both geographically and across various trades — which enables us to buffer local or sectoral bumps. So, despite not accomplishing our initial goals for 2020 and 2021, we will be able to maintain our team and follow long-term growth goals, which we think is a privilege during these difficult times.
How do you view the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the wider travel retail industry?
Travelling is part of our DNA, and we believe that the travel retail industry will certainly return to profitability once the pandemic is contained. There might be a decrease in global mobility due to the related health and financial effects of the crisis, but we believe people will travel again. While the trend for digital will be accelerated, we still believe that the physical in-store experience cannot be replaced.
Virtual becomes reality for Beter Beter is a Silver Partner at the inaugural Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo. The unique 5-day ‘live’ event, followed by a 30-day showcase, begins on 12 October, just after the conclusion of the Chinese Golden Week holidays. It features a star-studded series of events across the five days, including a Symposium, category workshops and a new consumer research initiative. Registration is free for buyers, exhibitors and preferred media partners. (Click here to register) |
