Making the most of Africa’s creative and diverse landscape

With a strong understanding of the diverse countries, cities, habits and cultures on the continent, o6 Agencies has adopted a creative and innovative approach to securing its future in Africa. Editor of P&C Africa, Abby Vorster, talks to Richard and Adam Owen – co-owners and father-and-son team – about the company’s African expansion strategy, which is moving fast despite lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic.

SINCE INCEPTION, o6 Agencies’ core focus of supplying fragrances and flavours to manufacturers and brand owners has remain unchanged. The company, which is based in South Africa, has built up a legacy of trust in offering fragrances and flavours that captivate the African market and ensure longevity and brand loyalty. This has allowed o6 Agencies to widen its product range and fragrance selection for specific categories, servicing all levels of the industry from FMCG to mass market and premium brands.

The company’s agility and dynamic team are its biggest assets. o6 Agencies is swift to respond to customers’ needs and highly in tune with current market demands. For example, o6 Agencies has been able to fill gaps in the market as a result of the supply chain challenges brought about by the global pandemic. It has also used the last five months to refine expansion plans in Africa through targeted collaboration.

Richard explains: “More than one opportunity for expansion has arisen during the lockdown. We’re accelerating our growth through a business associate in Tanzania and we have discovered a new growth point in the northwest of Kenya, on the border with Uganda, where small-scale producers who are manufacturing high-class bottles and tubes are looking to diversify their offerings. A new The dynamic team of o6 Agencies

international airport has been established in this area – Eldoret International Airport – which seeks to accelerate economic growth by opening up the region to domestic and international markets.”

Kenya and Tanzania are two of o6 Agencies’ biggest markets in East Africa. According to Richard, customers in those regions are increasingly looking to source raw materials from South Africa and are getting much better at manufacturing from a quality perspective. This has encouraged more international business for Kenyan producers, who are now manufacturing for the export market, particularly Europe.

TRACKING THE TRENDS

In the last six months, the growth in Kenya’s export business has had a direct impact on the fragrance trends in the East African market.

Adam explains: “While the focus previously was on oriental florals, the fragrance direction is now moving towards more organic, natural and herbal options with an emphasis on natural elements such as shea and cocoa butter. These well-rounded scents are also centred on the growing health and wellness trend in the region.”

The fragrance industry, like personal care and cosmetics, is no stranger to the clean

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These unexpected and difficult times have presented the company with an opportunity for investment in Mauritius. In recent years, hundreds of South African businesses have set up offshore companies on the island because of its businessfriendly environment and availability of professional skills. Yet, the days of operating a ‘post box’ offshore company are long gone. As a result, o6 Agencies is in the process of setting up a physical office and distribution hub in Mauritius.

beauty movement and is experiencing increased demand for safe, transparent and sustainable fragrance solutions. At the end of 2019, IFRA, the International Fragrance Association and global body representing fragrance ingredient manufacturers and compounders, published the latest update to its flagship fragrance safe-use programme, the IFRA Standards. Formally known as the Notification of the 49 th Amendment to the IFRA Code of Practice, it represents the most significant change to the Standards in many years and includes the updating of various allergens, including lyral and lilial.

While these key developments are global, they are already trickling down to East Africa with consumers moving away from harsh chemicals in favour of ethically-sourced ingredients, particularly when it comes to beauty, hair and face care applications.

“Natural and nourishing notes are becoming very popular while plant- and food-based raw materials are of great interest. Examples include raw fig and rice powder, which adds a soft, sweetish note to fruity scents and a freshness to florals. Ginger is also on the uptick in male grooming applications like shaving balms and beard oils, while demand is growing for herbal coriander and pine

The company has built up a legacy of trust in offering fragrances and flavours that captivate the African market

notes,” he adds.

Adam also points out that wasabi is another interesting trend in the global fragrance industry that could be of interest to the African market. While the wasabi plant itself has a much sweeter and subtle taste than the overpowering spicy flavour for which it is known, perfumers are

interested in wasabi as a fragrance ingredient thanks to its many benefits. The ingredient is not only packed with antioxidants, wasabi also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

CANNABIS AND HEMP HYPE

The fragrance industry has also been drawn to the positive properties of hemp, with fine fragrances and skin care lines based on hemp already booming both in South Africa and worldwide.

Adam believes that hemp and CBD will also be highly successful in Africa as fragrance and beauty care ingredients.

“It is important to differentiate between hemp and cannabis, particularly when it comes to scent and application. Hemp offers dry herbal, bushy and dusty notes and is popular in skin care lines and fine fragrances. Cannabis is characterised by its herbal citrus notes and wonderful earthy scent. CBD – the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis – is also being hailed internationally as a wonder ingredient for hair care products,” he says.

Based on the proven benefits of CBD to soothe sensitive skin, it is believed that CBD in hair care products may assist with a sore, itchy scalp. This hot, nutrient-rich beauty ingredient is also favoured for hair care applications because it is packed with amino acids that help strengthen hair and eliminate breakage.

“Cannabis is an incredibly versatile plant, which we believe will resonate well with the East African hair care market.” •

o6 Agencies – www.o6southafrica.com