Covering an area of 320 sq. metres, Pierre Fabre’s new dermo-cosmetics innovation centre is located in the district of Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro, and has a branch at the group’s industrial facility in Areal, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It will have around twenty researchers and technicians by 2021.

The Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics Brazilian Innovation Center will be headed by Anne-Laure Gaudry

Headed by Anne-Laure Gaudry under the responsibility of Xavier Ormancey, Director of Dermo-Cosmetics (PFDC) Division R&D, the Brazilian Innovation Center of PFDC will pursue a three-fold mission:
 to better understand Brazilian skin types from a dermatological point of view as well as the sociological needs of Brazilian consumers,
 to detect in advance upcoming trends in the Brazilian cosmetics markets, “one of the most sophisticated and inventive in the world,” according to Pierre Fabre,
 and to boost the development of new products adapted to the local market for the Eau Thermale Avène, Ducray and Darrow brands.

The Brazilian dermatological school is famous all over the world. The Brazilian population has an incredible mix of skin and hair types and Brazilian consumers are particularly sophisticated and demanding when it comes to cosmetic products. It was therefore natural for PFDC to set up its second international innovation center in this country, and I am confident that its teams will develop formulas and products that will be appreciated first locally and then beyond Brazilian borders,” explains Nuria Perez-Cullell, CEO Dermo-Cosmetics Division.

Steady growth

As the world’s fourth largest cosmetics market, Brazil is of major importance for the Pierre Fabre Group. In 2017, the products marketed by Pierre Fabre do Brasil achieved consumer sales in excess of BRL 300 million (EUR 62 million), up 10% compared to the previous year. Even if this figure represents only a small part of the group’s global sales (2.3 billion euros, including 1.4 billion euros for the dermo-cosmetic branch), Pierre Fabre is - with its brands Eau Thermale Avène, Darrow and Ducray - the 3rd player in the Brazilian dermo-cosmetic market.

Opening of the Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics Brazilian Innovation Center

With a presence in Brazil since 1985, the Pierre Fabre Group is now developing both its pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetics businesses here. Following the acquisition of Darrow Laboratories in 2006, the Group owns a plant specialized in the production of dermo-cosmetic products in Areal.

Brazil is a country of strategic interest for our Group and Pierre Fabre do Brasil is one of our most dynamic subsidiaries with an average annual growth of 24% over the past five years. In 2015, we launched a major investment plan to the tune of 50 million real, notably to modernize our Areal plant. We are furthering this effort today by opening our second international innovation center in Rio de Janeiro. It is a great opportunity for us to welcome Brazilian talent into our R&D teams and thus enrich the human and cultural diversity of our Group,” said Eric Ducournau, Pierre Fabre Group’s CEO.