PERTH naturopathic group Earth’s Supply is hoping to win export orders for its all-natural sunscreen after recently gaining national health accreditation.
PERTH naturopathic group Earth’s Supply is hoping to win export orders for its all-natural sunscreen after recently gaining national health accreditation.
The three-year-old group is the brainchild of Leo Fung and its Soléo range of products is already sold around the country.
Mr Fung said the company had grown by 500 per cent in the past year and that he expected this to continue as the company’s product range and distributor channels expand.
He said the recent accreditation of the Soléo products by the National Health Safety Council in Australia and New Zealand had boosted the credibility of the product, particularly because they are the only moisturiser and sunscreen to gain the rating, which is carried on their packaging.
Mr Fung said the product was now gaining the attention of international distributors and multinational companies interested in licensing the product. Earth’s Supply was in talks with various, undisclosed, parties, he said.
“There really aren’t any main competitors in our market niche,” Mr Fung said.
A concern of the dangers associated with chemically based sunscreens was a driving factor behind the development of the product.
He said he was keen to address the lack of chemical-free products for health conscious consumers looking for a totally natural alternative.
Mr Fung began research and development on the product range in 2000 and, after launching a trial batch of the product in 2001, the company was able to appoint Australian distributors.
By early 2002, the product was on shelves across the country in health food stores, pharmacies, beauty therapists and some small supermarkets.
Mr Fung said Earth’s Supply would be looking at joint ventures in the future.
“Every step needs funding and we will be looking at that,” he told WA Business News.
“We have looked a VCs [venture capital funding] and had strong interest, but decided that in the next six months we’ll be a lot more investor ready.”
Mr Fung said the company was looking into product development and growing the product range and brand.
“We will be expanding into related products, but will focus on niche markets that aren’t currently being met,” he said.
“We have a lot of projects in the next three months that are just gearing up.”
Mr Fung said a whirlwind trip late last year to drum up interest in the product range had generated possible distributors for the product in North America.
“It seems to be a slower process in North America, but it is progressing,” he said.
Mr Fung said the Soléo products were already gaining interest in Europe and Asia and the company is already making sales through the company’s web site.
