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Yon-Ka: natural instincts
[Tue 25/11/2008 05:41:12]
On his recent visit to Australia, Senior International Export Manager of Multaler Laboratories, Bruno Le Duen, gave some insight into his brand, Yon-Ka Paris.
Q. When was Yon-Ka Paris founded, where, by whom and why?
Multaler Laboratories was founded in 1954 in Paris by Charles and Ernest Mühlethaler, two brothers who were botanists and passionate about plants; especially using essential oils for improving health and skin condition.
Q. What were the company’s goals at the time it started? How many of these goals have been met?
The two brothers were scientists and not so interested in marketing: their goal at that time was to produce innovative and efficient products. When they started with Yon-Ka they were more into the medical field and then quickly started to look forward into the aesthetic field through cooperation with physiologists and beauty therapists. Françoise and Catherine, their daughters, took over the company and developed it with the same passion for aromatherapy and phytotherapy but on an industrial scale. The current premises includes a Research and Development department, sterile production area and quality control laboratories (over 7000 square metres with warehouses and administration).
Q. How has the industry changed from when the company started until now?
A lot of independent companies such as ours have been taken over by big groups like L’Oreal or Shiseido. From a distribution point of view, salons and spas are hopefully more and more business oriented, usually of bigger size and are now looking for marketing tips and help for developing their clientele.
Q. Does your company have a mission statement? If so, what is it?
“La référence internationale à travers le soin et l’acte de beauté au naturel”, which translates to: “The international reference through natural aesthetics treatments and beauty products”.
Q. What is your business philosophy and approach? We want to deliver efficient products for visible results. That is why we concentrate on a professional distribution network with Yon-Ka-trained therapists able to advise about products and perform treatments. The formulation of the products is natural as much as possible for the best results.
Q. What makes Yon-Ka Paris products stand out from other skincare ranges?
- a strong olfactory identity
- integration of essential oils and plant extracts
- customisation of our treatments
- always relaxing treatments – even the very specific ones
- a professional distribution network, consistent throughout the world (no mass-market distribution).
Q. What are the star products in your ranges?
The Quintessence (essential oils) is the centrepiece of the range and so is the Lotion.
The Quintessence complex is part of 60 per cent of our products. Best-sellers are: Lotion, Lait and Gel Nettoyant, Crème 28, Pamplemousse, Elastine, Contour products and now Masque N°1.
Q. Where do you position your product in the marketplace and why?
We want to keep Yon-Ka for professional places (salons, spas, places where treatments are performed): this is the best way to keep a strong image. We want to keep and even improve our selection level for retailers.
Q. Do you monitor client feedback? If so, how?
Through training classes and sales representative visits. We think about creating a kind of “elite” group of salons and spas that would be regularly invited to participate in round tables about different topics.
Q. How many people are on your staff and what roles do they fulfil?
Five to six in the export dept: export sales administration (two), international training (one to two), sales (two). At our warehouse, there are two people dedicated to export shipments. Our export distribution subsidiaries (USA, UK, Switzerland) total 45.
Q. By what criteria do you choose your staff?
Staff has to be committed and behave with a long-term attitude, not looking for only short-term results. We help them understand the company culture and their role in passing those values on to our customers and partners. Partnership with our customers and export distributors is a key word. That means the staff has also to understand why we sometimes have different requirements from some countries and how to meet the expectations.
Q. How important to you are retail sales of your product within salons? Why?
This is a key to a profitable business for the salon: good profit within a short time. Average sales after a treatment have to be monitored for a good management. It is also a part of the job: to get the best possible results, a follow-up home regimen is necessary after receiving a treatment. Also it is the way to enhance brand awareness.
Q. What training and support do you offer a salon or spa that takes on the range?
Initial training and advanced training is mandatory for working with Yon-Ka. Clients also get promotional offers all year round and incentives, depending on the sales level. Some countries organise rewards programs and organise trips to Paris for the best achievements.
Q. What motivates you professionally and personally each day? I work in a company with a soul: it is business but with strong values inherited from the founders and the goal of offering the best possible products, treatments and marketing system. There is no compromise with quality and there is a respect of our distributors and partners.
Q. What are the keys to surviving – and being successful – in this industry? Be what you are as a brand and keep your values. Look at what’s happening on the market but only keep what is in line with your own identity and values.
Q. What are your plans for the future of your company? To continue with our international development: there are still new markets to cover especially in Asia, and some in Europe. To always improve brand awareness, and to enlarge our production facilities with new equipment and extended premises.
Q. What do you see as the greatest challenge facing the beauty industry in the coming decade? How might your business meet these challenges?
The market is global and it will be so more and more. The internet is a big challenge for a brand like us, which puts the emphasis on service and therapist skills – not on quick sales. So we’ll have to use the internet more and more for improving brand awareness and our salons’ and spas’ business. Another challenge is to keep – and improve – our place as an independent company among big groups.
For further information, contact Yon-Ka Paris: 1800 1 YONKA (196 652) or email Info.yon-ka@chariot.net.au
