Trade: French perfume brand to expand its Turkish market

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, DECEMBER 17 - The leading perfume brand in France, Ulric de Varens, which entered the Turkish market at the beginning of this year, is aiming to expand its selling area. Paris-based Ulric de Varens, which has a share of around 20% of the French perfume market, has a strategy of offering "low-price but high-quality" perfume to clients by avoiding high expenses in advertising.

"We're investing in products and creation, not advertising," Ulric de Varens, the creator and owner of the company said in a recent interview with the Hurriyet daily. Thanks to the strategy of low margin, the company sold products less expensively when compared to the other brands. He said they would pursue their strategy in Turkish markets. "We have different and special design and creativity. We have three values: quality, innovation and differentiation. We don't sell prices, we sell differentiation," he said.

The company's products are currently sold in some stores and drugstores in Turkey, but they planned to sell their perfumes also in supermarkets in the future. Ulric de Varens' perfumes are sold in 92 countries, he said, adding that they were also the market leader in Germany. The company, which was found in France in 1981, has eight branches aside from France: in Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Romania, Greece and Turkey.

Citigroup Reiterates on Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance as Pullback Creates Opportunity

In a report published Friday, Citigroup analyst Oliver Chen reiterated a Buy rating on Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]), but lowered the price target from $145.00 to $123.00.

In the report, Citigroup noted, “Comps encouragingly +6.8% vs. guidance of +5-7%, & EPS only a slight miss, however, stock lower as ULTA guided 2013E EPS -5-7% below street on intensified Holiday competition & valuation expectations were high given ULTA was trading at 28x P/E. While we admit our expectations were too exuberant, we are retaining our Buy rating & Focus List status because we still believe the business model remains differentiated, has less fashion risk, & superior growth aspects with an accelerating comp forecast (7-9% in 4Q vs. +6.8% in 3Q) & sq ft growth of +22% vs. sector average of +9%. Realistically, investors may need to be patient as next fundamental catalyst is 1H March; however, we believe premium growth deserves a premium multiple, & this print does not derail our view of 20%+ EPS growth vs. sector of ~15%. We are lowering our PT to $123 (from $145) on 26x (from 27x) on lower ests given new guidance & incremental promotions to drive traffic.”

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance closed on Thursday at $96.36.

Ajmal launches oriental fragrance

Ajmal Perfumes, a leading fragrance house in the region, has launched its new oriental ‘Ostooraha’ concentrated perfume oil.

Ostoorah, a unisex offering, is designed for those who are deep rooted in tradition and appreciate fine Oudhy blends, said the company in a statement.

Abdulla Ajmal, general manager – sales and marketing, said: “The fragrance is a distinctive offering to the unique requirements of men and women; Ostoorah lays out the symbolic aroma of Arabia, enclosed with the ingredients that are very close to traditional perfumery.”

The fragrance will be available across all Ajmal stores and distributors in the GCC, he added. - TradeArabia News Service

Nestlé Selling Stake in Swiss Fragrance Company

LONDON — The food giant Nestlé said on Friday that it was selling its 10 percent stake in Givaudan, the Swiss flavors and fragrance company.

The sale of the stake, valued at more than $1 billion, is the latest in a series of divestitures aimed at streamlining Nestlé’s offerings and focusing on more profitable business lines.

The share divestiture will be accomplished as a private placement to institutional investors. Goldman Sachs is managing the sale.

“Nestlé has been very satisfied with its holding but believes now is the appropriate time to divest,” the company said in a statement.

Nestlé acquired the stake in Givaudan through the sale of the food ingredient company FIS in a cash-and-stock deal in 2002.

Nestlé, the maker of Kit Kat chocolate bars, Nespresso coffee and Purina dog and cat food, holds 926,562 shares of Givaudan, which were valued at about 1.2 billion Swiss francs, or $1.3 billion, as of the closing price on Thursday.

Shares of Givaudan were down 3.6 percent to 1,191 Swiss francs, in trading on Friday.

In October, Nestlé’s chief executive, Paul Bulcke, said the company planned to sell some of its underperforming brands.

Last month, Nestlé agreed to sell its Jenny Craig brand in North America, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the Pacific to a private equity firm, North Castle Partners, for an undisclosed amount.

The company sold an Australian ice cream brand in June and two French bottled water brands in July.

Germany's Douglas hunts more deals after buying French perfume chain

* Nocibe deal set to close in first half of 2014

* Douglas sees attractive growth for perfume sales

Nov 19 (Reuters) - German books-to-cosmetics retailer Douglas Holding aims to complete its purchase of French perfumery chain Nocibe in the first half of next year and is on the prowl for more acquisitions, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Douglas, which was taken private by investor Advent and the Kreke family this year, is aiming to become Europe's top perfumes retailer as it seeks stronger growth than that it believes is achievable in confectionery, jewellery or books.

"We want to extend our growth through acquisitions, also in Germany," CEO Henning Kreke told a news conference, adding that Douglas is looking for family-run firms.

Douglas announced last month that it was in exclusive talks to buy Nocibe from private equity firm Charterhouse Capital.

Kreke said on Tuesday that Douglas intends to close the deal in the first half of 2014 once it gains approval from the French cartel authorities and labour representatives.



With a combined 625 stores and 4,000 employees, the purchase of Nocibe would make Douglas the second-largest perfumery chain in France in terms of revenue, behind LVMH's Sephora and ahead of Marionnaud. (Reporting by Matthias Inverardi; Writing by Emma Thomasson; Editing by David Goodman)

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A more realistic perfume ad for Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey

Acclaimed and apparently perpetually-for-hire director Martin Scorcese shot an ad for Dolce and Gabbana perfume that stars the devastatingly attractive Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey. Shot in black and white, the commercial sees the two stars jetting around the streets of New York City being all vague and old-timey and well-groomed.

It's pretty and everything, but could it be more unrealistic? With that in mind, here's the script for a much more authentic perfume ad starring Scarlett and Matthew.


EXT. STREET - DAY

Scarlett Johansson stands on a street corner, staring at her phone and sighing loudly. A filthy Land Rover pulls up blasting music. Matthew McConaughey honks the horn.

Scarlett: You're late.

Matthew: I don't believe in clocks.

Scarlett gets into the car.

Scarlett: What are we listening to?

Matthew: Afro-Cuban bongo music made by white guys in Venice Beach.

Scarlett: Turn it off and I'll sing for you.

Matthew: What will you sing?

Scarlett: Tom Waits songs. I only know Tom Waits songs. What's that smell?

Matthew: It must be "The One" by Dolce and Gabanna.

Scarlett: Yeah, it's not "The One." it smells like wet dead dog.

Matthew: Well then it must be me. I shower twice a year. I have showered once this year.

Matthew takes a bite of something slimy.

Scarlett: Um, what are you eating?

Matthew: Placenta.

Scarlett puts her head out the window and stares skywards.

Matthew: What are you looking at?

Scarlett: Nothing. I'm trying to appear elusive.

Matthew: I dig it, man. I dig it. It's like that state of being when the sand and the waves meet and become sand-waves.

Scarlett: Oh, just shut up, look pretty, and lets try to sell some perfume.

Matthew: You want a bite of placenta?

Scarlett: No, Matthew, I don't.

Matthew: Your loss.

Matthew lights up a joint and smokes it out the window. Scarlett rolls her eyes.

"THE ONE BY DOLCE AND GABBANA."

Dolce&Gabbana The One: "Street of Dreams" a Martin Scorsese picture - Director's cut

Perfumer Roja Dove Creates New Perfume In Honour of The Cheapside Hoard

London-based perfumer Roja Dove has designed a perfume to coincide with the opening of a new exhibition at the Museum of London entitled ‘The Cheapside Hoard’.

The Hoard is a stash of Tudor jewellery uncovered by workman while digging foundations in 1912, in an area of the City of London known as Cheapside. The collection, which has never been put on display to the public in its entirety, is thought to date from between 1640 to 1666, when the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the City. It’s believed that the large collection was stock belonging to a jeweller “It’s the biggest and most important collection of Elizabethan jewellery in the world” said curator Hazel Forsyth. “It’s a time capsule of contemporary taste, manufacture and design”.

Among the items buried in the mud was an ornate perfume bottle suspended on a chain. The Museum of London asked Roja Dove, who owns the Haute Parfumerie at Harrods, to create a perfume evocative of the era.

Visitors can gaze at the exquisite perfume bottle while they put their noses to a small grate where the perfume is encased in the wall behind it, rather like a priest’s confessional, to be sensed but not seen.

Dove says "I love the idea that London was such an important port of entry for exotic goods arriving from every corner of the known world. Spices, musk and ambergris, would have joined exotic materials such as frankincense and myrrh, and the much loved benzoin, often referred to as benjamin at this time, with its soft rounded vanilla odour. These richly scented materials were far removed from the puritan smell of lavender or the foul stench of the streets and unwashed bodies. Perfume showed your position in society. Perfume defines status."

The perfume contains ambergris, rose and spices – ingredients typical of the time but available only to the very richest. There is also a case in the exhibition which shows some raw materials which would have been used at the time including ambergris, pouches of musk, and castoreum.

Source

Prada Rises on Coty Deal for Miu Miu Perfume: Hong Kong Mover

Prada SpA (1913), the Italian seller of the namesake luxury bags, rose the most in more than a month in Hong Kong trading after signing a licensing deal for Coty Inc. (COTY) to create and distribute perfumes under the Miu Miu brand.

Prada rose as much as 3.2 percent to HK$76 in Hong Kong before trading at HK$75.90 as of 11:22 a.m. local time, headed for the biggest gain since Sept. 16. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.3 percent.

Prada is seeking to develop Miu Miu as global demand for luxury goods cools. The 20-year-old fashion and accessories label, named after Prada Chairman Miuccia Prada, had sales of 512.8 million euros ($706 million) in the year ended Jan. 31, or 16 percent of total company revenue. The deal with Coty would allow Prada to expand its second-largest unit in the $60 billion luxury beauty industry.

The agreement with Coty “marks a major step forward in Miu Miu’s development plan,” Prada Chief Executive Officer Patrizio Bertelli said in the statement.

The Miu Miu fragrance line is expected to be introduced in 2015, the Milan-based company said yesterday in a statement.

Sales of luxury goods are set to expand 2 percent this year to 217 billion euros, according to Bain & Co. Spending on beauty products, which accounts for about a fifth of the total, will grow in line with the market, Bain estimates.

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Fragrance 101: Everything You Need to Know About Picking the Perfect Scent

Divine Caroline: Can you break down some of the lingo we always hear when looking for a perfume. What exactly are top notes, base notes, etc.?
Renee Bukowski: Unlike flowers where the taste is received all at once, fragrances evaporate and reach the nose over time. A general composition of fragrance is a fragrance pyramid, which has top, mid and base notes. Top notes are what you smell first. These are the citrus, fruity, ozonic notes. Mid, or heart notes, are the floral, spice and herbaceous notes. Base notes consist of woods, balsams and musks.

DC: How can you choose the right fragrance when you’re in a store for a limited period of time and there are so many scents to test out?
RB: When choosing a fragrance, spray the scent on a blotter card to pick up the top note or initial impression. Blotter cards are a great way to sample multiple fragrances at once. Next, you want to determine which scent you liked most and spray it on your wrist. Don’t rub your wrists together, but rather pat them lightly together and smell throughout the day. It’s important to notice the fragrance evolving from the top, mid and base notes through the day and to fall in love with the fragrance as it dries down.

DC: Where should you spray your perfume to get that great scent to last all day?
RB: Spray on your pulse points: wrists, neck and décolletage. If you want a little extra scent, spray it in your hair and the fragrance will linger as your hair moves.

DC: What notes and fragrances are going to be most popular throughout this season and into next?
RB: We follow trends across all categories very closely and macro trends for fall are focusing on notes from nature, such as honey and rose. But this rose is modernized from traditional roses. For example, Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb Rose Explosion is a rose oriental scent that combines rose and honey!

Shop Bukowski's picks are in the picture above:

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Quadpack Launches Limited Edition Perfume

Cosmetic packaging provider Quadpack has issued a limited edition perfume named ‘Wood’, in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The fragrance is beautifully packaged, uniting the finest components the group has to offer: Premi’s elegant Hollywood bottle, a gold anodised spray pump and a tapered beech cap from Technotraf, all held in a sheer organza pouch. The bottle is decorated with a design inspired by nature.

See product and contact details of QUADPACK UK LTD.

View suppliers of similar products in the Packaging Network.

The light, fresh fragrance – evoking a sense of forests and woods – was created especially for Quadpack by GRC Parfume and filled by filling partner Maxim.

Project managed by Premi, Quadpack CEO Tim Eaves commented: “‘Wood’ is a celebration of our achievement as a global team. Developed by our talented packaging engineers, it shows how various elements can be brought together, to make a united whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. By bringing in our most trusted partners, ‘Wood’ also demonstrates a flawless supply chain that has been nurtured over the years.”

Unveiled at LuxePack Monaco last week, ‘Wood’ was the highlight of the Quadpack stand.

More info:
www.quadpack.net

Benghazi women’s perfume shop attacked

Benghazi, 19 October 2013:

A women’s perfume and cosmetics shop in Benghazi’s Dubai Street was badly damaged in an RPG attack early this morning, at around 4.40 am.

It is not known whether the attack on the shop, Morena, was the result of a property dispute, rivalry with other store owners or action by militants.  In June last year, a women’s beauty parlour was attacked, allegedly by Islamists, in a drive-by shooting.There was much activity involving Islamists in Benghazi yesterday.

The owner of the shop says he does not know why it was targeted.

Source

Palo santo: A fragrant wood with cancer fighting properties

In South America, both in urban settings and in the Amazon, I have encountered a fragrant wood used as incense and known as palo santo, which means “wood of the saints.” Appropriately named, the aroma of palo santo (Bursera graveolens) is heavenly. If you grew up attending Catholic church or any of the institutions in which incense is burned, palo santo may smell familiar to you.

Fragrant woods are not uncommon. In New Mexico, I have enjoyed many fires made of pinion pine, whose fragrance can be detected all through the streets of Santa Fe or Taos on a cold winter night. In northern India, I have smelled fires made of the incense wood deodar, whose aroma similarly wafts over the hills at night.

The tall tropical palo santo tree is related to both frankincense and myrrh, and it is widely distributed throughout much of Central and South America, as well as the Galapagos Islands. Because palo santo has become increasingly popular due to the booming Amazon tourism trade, it will eventually need to be cultivated. Otherwise, we will experience dwindling populations of these delightfully fragrant rainforest trees.

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A Tale of Three Perfumes

In the past few years, I have discovered I am a stubborn perfume snob. This self-discovery especially amazes me because, unlike my assured and often overbearing opinions on things concerning clothing and accessories, I've never really cared for perfume. As long as it smelled nice, I liked it. 'Nice', I have come to agree, is a rather rude word.

Since perfumes are the most convenient gift items, every travelling relative or boyfriend returned with a bottle or two from the duty-frees across the world. I don't think I ever bought myself a fragrance, my dresser would be lined with a dozen of them.

My first tryst with Chanel No 5 was as a teenager. It was a gift from an indulgent aunt and I wore it with as much joy as I did a body mist from The Body Shop. Youth is so obviously wasted on the young.

On my first trip to London with our son, at a particularly crowded Harrod's shop floor, I found myself elbowed in at a Jo Malone counter. The husband asked me to choose a fragrance, I tested a few and picked Lime Basil and Mandarin Cologne. I also learned here there is no such thing as 'masculine' or 'feminine' in perfume. You are supposed to wear what you like, the rest is marketing malarkey. Each time I wear this perfume, I am transported to my warm serviced apartment at Gloucester Road and pram-pushing evenings at Kensington Gardens.

Once, a friend suggested a flacon of Annick Goutal as a must-buy from Paris. I found a niche in the terribly touristy Champs Elysees and discovered a fragrance that would change my nose forever. 'Songes' was intense, captivating and very sensual. As are many perfumes, but it didn't allow me to wear anything else. (Incidentally, my son was three then, he played tic-tac-toe and chose the bottle for me.)

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In Venice, a New Perfume Museum

VENICE — Italy will have a new perfume museum on Nov. 1, when the Palazzo Mocenigo reopens after a 10-month renovation.

The palazzo, site of the city’s Center for Studies of the History of Textiles and Costume, already holds a fashion collection that includes 20,000 pieces of clothing and textiles dating to early Christian times as well as 6,000 books on fashion.

Perfume is being added to the museum’s focus to highlight the city’s role in the origins of the industry.

“The modern perfume industry really began in Venice in the 10th century,” said Marco Vidal, the commercial director for Mavive, a 112-year-old local perfume company that is backing the project in conjunction with the Venice Civic Museums Foundation. To mark the event, the company will open a flagship store in Venice and introduce a “Merchant of Venice” collection of perfumes and personal care products.

The new perfume galleries — four rooms and an educational area — will include a display that allows visitors to smell ingredients, a collection of more than 2,500 flasks that date to 2,000 B.C. from the German perfume company Drom, and works like “Notandissimi Secreti de l’Arte Profumatoria,” a 1555 Venetian publication thought to be the first manual in the West that scientifically cataloged cosmetic formulas.

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Diffuser, Candle & Perfume From Votivo

Prize: One winner will receive a Votivo prize pack; see details below
Number of winners allowed: 1
Ends: Tuesday October 8th 2013

VOTIVO celebrates the international language of love with the introduction of the “Lock Your Love” Co..ection. Believed to be inspired by the ancient Chinese custom, lovers lock a padlock to a chain or gate and throw the key into a river to symbolically seal their bond for eternity. Lock Your Love has become a widespread practice in over 30 countries—from England to Australia and China to Italy. Votivo pays homage to the mystery of overwhelming love and commitment with its newest collection this season.

The collection’s three fragrances delve into the various stages and journeys of love: Hard To Get, Hold Me Tight and Hot To Handle. Literally infusing love into the air, the products available in the co..ection include a candle, reed diffuser and perfume.

Hard To Get

Capturing the weak in the knees feeling that only love at first sight can deliver, Hard To Get makes a sweet first impression with flirty top notes of tangy citrus, luscious lychee and succulent watermelon. A soft floral heart of lotus, magnolia and freesia melts the senses, while a solid base of crème brulee and sandalwood leaves a forget-me-not impression.

Hold Me Tight

First love whispers melodious sweet nothings as warm tingles linger from a sparks flying embrace. Comforting and soothing notes of herbal tea fall into a delicately woven bed of warm linen, swathed in the solidity of sensuous sandalwood. Two hearts settle into the comforting rhythm of an unshakeable bond.

Hot To Handle

Undeniable chemistry burns with steamy heat that intoxicates and transfixes each time the lovers meet. Emanating sensuality and passion, Hot To Handle layers intense notes of violet and cypress with spicy pepper, frankincense and tobacco. A sultry base of musky patchouli and cedar leave a feverish trail of seduction.

The candle, diffuser and perfume showcase chain-link fence inspired material over glass and feature a custom designed keepsake lock with Votivo logo. 

One Direction have fastest selling perfume of 2013

One Direction's perfume Our Moment has become the fastest selling perfume of the year.

The 'Little Things' boy band - consisting of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson - are once again smelling sweet success as their first ever fragrance, marketed towards their ever-loyal female fan base, has sold more than any other scents in 2013 in the UK.

Our Moment is also retail chain The Perfume Shop's best selling fragrance in history and the company was even forced to bring in extra staff to meet demand from the group's obsessed admirers.

Faye Langworthy of One Direction's management firm, Modest! Management, said: "The success of Our Moment is something One Direction are very proud of. The incredible level of sales we've seen so far of Our Moment and the overwhelming feedback given by fans is a reflection of the band's involvement in every stage of its creation and their desire to make a personal and unique product for their fans."

The heartthrob band are no strangers to sending their fans into a tizzy, with more than 20,000 devotees congregating in London's Leicester Square in anticipation of the world premiere of their 3D documentary 'One Direction: This Is Us' in August.

Meanwhile, the 'Best Song Ever' hitmakers are set to give back to their fans with an entire day dedicated to their global supporters.

The group will present a seven-hour global live stream, interacting with fans around the world, on November 23.

Liam said: "1D Day is all about giving back to our amazing fans for supporting us for the past three years. When we suggested it we never thought anyone would let us loose live all day - we cannot wait!"

Source 

Attack on Titan... Perfume?

The Attack on Titan characters are getting their own line of perfume! Scents come in "Eren," "Mikasa," or "Levi,' and are designed to reflect their personalities.

Eren's has top notes of bergamot, lemon, lime, and mint, with middle notes of cardamom, nutmeg, and anise. The base notes are cedar, sandalwood, and musk. It was designed to reflect his straight-forward personality and his resolve to destroy the Titans.

Mikasa's perfume has top notes of cassis liqueur, raspberry, and rose hip; middle notes are plum, muguet, and rose, with base notes of cedar, musk, and sweet. It reflects her calm composure, except when she's fighting for Eren. It's meant to give a glimpse of her hidden femininity.

Lastly, Levi's top notes are of cleanliness and soap; with floral middle notes of rose, iris, and lotus; and base notes of cedar and musk. It represents his position as a brilliant soldier who is amongst humanity's strongest, but also his fastidious cleanliness.

Each 30 mL bottle of perfume retails for 5,775 yen (~ $58) and is available for pre-order now from Koubutsu-ya. The products are expected to ship on October 26.

Titan eyes Rs 2000 cr perfume market with the launch of SKINN

“A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future,” said iconic French designer and legend synonymous with Chanel No 5, Coco Chanel. It sure seems that Indian men and women alike have taken this seriously if the growing fragrance market is anything to go by.

The Indian perfume market is currently pegged at Rs 2000 crore, which is growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 30 per cent.

Interestingly, while Indians have had a deep connect with fragrances historically, with usage and symbolic significance in weddings and presence in temples, only 70 per cent of this market is organised, while the rest still remains unorganised. The market is estimated to reach Rs 10,000 crore in 2015.

Perfume sales typically see a spike during the festive season, as it is a popular gifting option.
The latest entrant into this growing market is Titan, from the Tata Group. The company has widened its footprint in the personal lifestyle segment with the launch of ‘SKINN’ range of perfumes.

The launch follows the recent announcement of the company’s new identity as Titan Company. The company hopes to leverage the hallmark of Titan, with the assurance of Tata Group in its new foray.

Bhaskar Bhat, Managing Director, Titan Company said, “It was time for us to widen our footprint in the personal lifestyle categories that are currently unorganised, under-served and under-penetrated; using our in-house design and marketing expertise, wide retail footprint and the brand name Titan. Moreover, the current fragrance market in India is bustling with international brands, which are very expensive. There is no Indian player and there is an opportunity to bring in quality and an Indian brand name in the space. Over three years of work has gone into the making of SKINN; it is an important part of Titan Company’s journey and we look forward to this exciting phase.”

SKINN includes a range of six perfumes imported from France for both, men and women; the company hopes to bring international standards with an Indian flavor through this launch. While Bhat agrees that the import duties add to the price component, the brand does not have any plans to manufacture the product in India as of now.

The product will be available in select World of Titan stores, department stores, multi-brand outlets, lifestyle and accessory stores across the country, along with e-commerce portals. The brand aims to have one of the largest distribution networks for SKINN with 1000 stores soon; it is available at 200 stores across the top 10 cities to begin with.

The SKINN range defines its target audience as young adults and first job goers in the age group of 23 to 27 years.

The brand will be launching a 360-degree campaign, with television as the lead medium, and print, digital and OOH following suit.

“We are investing in building the brand; our main investment is going to be in advertising, shared Ronnie Talati, Chief Marketing Officer, Titan Company.

“We have taken a common platform and positioning for both the men and women’s range, which is of seduction. We are not looking at market share; we are looking at influencing the market. We are hoping to change the market by encouraging the usage of perfumes. Many people don’t think of perfumes, they think of deodorants. We want to change this by educating and make consumers aware that both serve different purposes,” added Talati.

Hugo Boss, Burberry, Chanel, Armani and Estee Lauder are some of the other imported brands sold in India at the moment. Whilst SKINN does come with the advantage of the house of Tata, will this foray into perfume pay off as well as watches and jewellery did for the Tata brand, will be interesting to see...

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Perfume factory shuttered for faking product labels

Saudi Gazette report


JEDDAH — The Ministry of Commerce and Industry closed down a local perfume factory in Al-Khumrah in south Jeddah on Wednesday for placing “Made in France” stickers on locally made products.

Over 72,000 boxes of perfumes ready for sale were seized.

Samples were sent to the laboratories for analysis before they were destroyed.

The factory owner was summoned for investigation before the case is referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.

The factory was closed down after the ministry’s teams in Jeddah raided its building, located in an area full of warehouses.

Apart from the boxes of perfumes, supervisors found 1,600 “Made in France” stickers, a special machine for printing stickers and 200 barrels of perfume oil each weighing 50 kg.

The ministry said the factory had produced several other perfumes bearing the names Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (The Black Stone), Hajar Al-Ka’aba (Ka’aba Stone) and Jannat Al-Firdous.

The perfumes the factory was trying to pass off as made in France bore well-known trademarks.

They used to coordinate with a number of distributors to sell them to shops in different locations of Jeddah.

The ministry stressed it would not be lenient in penalizing those who violate its regulations or do not uphold consumers’ rights and replace fake or damaged commodities.

It called on consumers to file their complaints at the ministry’s reports center through the toll-free number 8001241616.

Tile, perfume maker moves into Twoson

MUNCIE — Nearly two years after officials announced a Turkish company would make roofing tiles in the former Twoson Tool building, a Turkish businessman — now working on his own, rather than with investors — is trying to start up two new businesses in the building.

Tiles and perfume would be made in the building, officials said Thursday. Terry Murphy of the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance told The Star Press that the new development springs from a November 2011 announcement that Erdal Cakici’s Kermit USA would employ 70 people making roofing tiles in the building.

The Star Press subsequently reported that the project as announced was in doubt and that investors had changed.

After Thursday’s meeting of the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission, Murphy confirmed to The Star Press that the scope and backing for the project had changed.

“He is the single investor now,” Murphy said about Cakici. “This is a scaled-down version. It had been $12 million investment and 75 jobs, now it is a $6 million investment and 36 jobs over six years.”

During the commission meeting, officials heard that Cakici’s project “was moving quicker.”

“Last Friday, their equipment showed up at the building, along with huge cases of perfume bottles,” Murphy said.

The commission started a process to begin repairs and updates to the building that had already been planned for Gary Dannar, a South Carolina businessman who said he plans to build mobile power generating vehicles in the building, employing nearly 500 people within several years.

Meanwhile, space in the building could someday be at a premium; in recent days, local emergency services had to move equipment to another part of the building and might ultimately be out altogether.

Murphy said local emergency services could continue to use the middle section of the building for storage of items that had been stored in the portion now occupied by Cakici.

But ultimately, Murphy said, the emergency services’ storage space could be used by Dannar.

“They can stay there until one of these businesses grows enough,” Murphy said. “Dannar has an agreement to expand into the middle section.”

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