Mc Bride Private Label in Personal Care Products

McBride has an extensive range of Personal Care, skincare and toiletry products. They are expanding their offer all the time. With three Personal Care liquids factories - in the UK, Belgium and Poland private label, 2 Personal Care aerosol factories in the UK and France, a specialist Skincare facility in The Czech Republic and Personal Care and skincare factories in Malaysia and Vietnam they are increasing their global scale in this dynamic market.

The Personal Care categories McBride manufacture include:

• Baby care
• Bath and shower products
• Hair care
• Body care
• Mens grooming
• Oral care
• Skin care

Baby care ranges
Mc Bride manufacture a complete range of baby toiletries including baby shampoos, bath foam, cleansing lotions and oils.

Bath and shower
Bath and shower ranges include bathfoams, shower gels, mousses and liquid soaps including latest aromatherapy formulations to deliver a relaxing bathing experience.

Hair care
McBride develop shampoos, conditioners and hair styling solutions for all the family needs.

Body care
We manufacture roll-on and anti-perspirant deodorants and body sprays, as well as body performance products including body scrubs.

Mens Grooming
Mc Brides range of mens grooming products includes shaving gels and foams, mens deodorant's and body sprays, plus shower products and skin care ranges for men.

Oral care
Mc Bride produce sensitive, whitening, kids and family formulations of toothpastes, as well as single and dual phase mouthwash formulations

Skin care
Mc Bride's latest innovations include cocoa butters and aloe vera creams, as well as general body and foot care, make-up removal lotions and self-tanning creams.

Why Don't Supermarkets Have Brands?

Why Don't Supermarkets Have Brands?
It may come as a surprise to the category of supermarket chains to learn that almost to a fault, none of them owns a brand. They think they do, but they do not. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. The only reason to invest in the building and maintaining of a brand is to increase your preference or increase your margins. Against that acid test, supermarket chains come up sucking hind teat.

There are a few major exceptions, and we will disclose them as we proceed, but the battle for supremacy in the supermarket gambit has come down to location, location, location. Look around at your own neighborhoods and you will quickly see the reality of the situation. Supermarkets, like their poor stepsisters the pharmacy chains, are in a rush to build more and more stores. They realize that in order to dominate a local market, they need to be the closest purveyor to the shopper's home. That is not exactly the pure definition of a brand is it?

The Business Model Tells the Story

They recognize this fact in their bones which is why their business model has them scampering to build new stores as close as possible to developing residential areas. Yet, they pretend to themselves (and their stockholders) that they have a brand. To Harris Teeter, ACME Markets, Lowes Foods, A&P, Pathmark, PUBLIX, GIANT, Win-Dixie and the Piggly Wigglies of the word I have a short and pointed warning... Watch Out! Wegmans is coming!

Harris Teeter, for example, believes they have a brand. They believe they are "the upscale choice" but deep down they recognize the fallacy in that claim as they build more and more stores in more and more neighborhoods. They realize that their brand is not a destination, and that aside from the "brand" of habit, shoppers will not ride by a competitor's store on a regular basis to shop at a Harris Teeter. They know that their store does not represent a "destination" -- there is no sense of arrival, no sense of specialness and therefore no REAL brand.

Wegmans is a Juggernaut

What makes Wegmans so formidable? They learned their brand lessons well and are playing brand hardball. Borrowing on the specialty marketers like Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Bread & Circus, and the upscale brands of Four Seasons and Ritz Carleton, they recognized that brands that differentiated the customer enabled these brands to become destinations. They became a magnet for those seeking specialness, specialty, high quality foods, and experience -- within a geographic area. When the shopper believed they were a more discriminating shopper(what we call a Brandface),these shoppers were willing to inconvenience themselves by traveling a greater distance to satiate that self-identifying need. They would also be willing to pay higher costs for that same self-identification.

Remember that brand, the kind of brand that makes a category player a destination, is not a description of the store, it is the self-description of the customer -- who they believe they are. The greater the store's ability to satiate that self-description, the more powerful the brand. Does the Harris Teeter or Publix shopper believe they "have arrived" when they shop? Do they see themselves as smarter, mores discerning and erudite? Not according to Harris Teeter or they would not need to build a new market every 1.8 miles!

Think Differently

Wegmans took the lessons from Fresh Market and Starbucks and recognized that the modern grocery shopper wanted to have an experience when they shopped. They believed that shoppers wanted to have access to and be surrounded by "the world of fine choices" even when they were simply shopping for Campbell's Soup. The baby boomers, Gen-x and Gen-y customers believe the shopping experience should be as entertaining as utilitarian and that the yearning fordiscovery was woven into the fabric of their being.

Does it cost more to create a Wegmans than it does a Lowes Foods? You bet it does. It requires an investment in brand, brand management, architecture, interior design, customer anthropology, and world-class buyers. However, these costs are dwarfed by the short term solution of the escalating construction costs of duplicating sores in repeated markets within saturated residential areas.

The Category's Problem

Why then, is the supermarket category so stale and delinquent in its own space? It is not because they lack talented people or smart planners. It is because they have bought into an old and stale idea of brand. They have come to believe that they can differentiate themselves from the competitive set by restating generic category descriptions like fresh, quality, selection and fair prices. They think they can OWN a position that is the providence of the entire category... like, "the beef people."

Where is the Future?

What does this mean for the future of the category? It means the stakes are being raised because the category is demanding more. The real problem for the major players can be found in the existing store space. The sooner they invest in their brands, the better for their shareholders because an investment in today will ultimately cost less than a forced investment tomorrow. Experience and discovery has as its table stakes; larger more open square footage, broader specialty departments, and an understanding of the preceptive fabric of the target audience. This means existing store locations may be inadequate in the future.

Bigger is not necessarily better, it is only better when bigger incorporates entertainment, discovery and experience. These are the hallmark of the busy and demanding shopper of today, as well as the shopper of tomorrow. Will a Starbucks coffee bar differentiate your brand? Not on your life.

Tom Dougherty CEO, Senior Strategist at Stealing Share, Inc. (http://www.stealingshare.com) Tom began his strategic marketing and branding career in Saudi Arabia working for the internationally acclaimed Saatchi & Saatchi. His brand manager at the time referred to Tom as a “marketing genius,” and Tom demonstrated his talents to clients such as Ariel detergent, Pampers and many other brands throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. After his time overseas, Tom returned to the US where he worked for brand agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. He continued to prove himself as a unique and strategic brand builder for global companies. Tom has led efforts for brands such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Fairmont Hotels, Coldwell Banker, Homewood Suites (of Hilton), Tetley Tea, Lexus, Sovereign Bank, and McCormick to name a few. Contact Tom at tomd@stealingshare.com.

Carrefour Private Label

Europe’s largest retailer Carrefour private label has been rejuvenated during the past 12 months under the charismatic leadership of its Swedish boss Lars Oloffson, but recent poor results from the groups Belgian interests have clouded the picture somewhat.

The recent departure of Geert Uytterschaut, Carrefour’s director of hypermarkets in Belgium, came after 1st quarter results for 2010 showed it has slipped to third place behind rival chains Delhaize and Colruyt. After discussions with Carrefour Belgium’s CEO Gerard Lavinay, and intense speculation that the two men’s relationship had broken down, Uyttershaut fell on his sword.

Carrefour’s share of the Belgian supermarket trade dropped by 2.21% in the first three months of this year, leaving the group with 23.41% of the market after suffering its largest ever fall in numbers. To compound matters Carrefour Belgium’s director of purchasing, Olivier Langlet, has also left the company. Langlet, formerly director of purchasing, had been acting as the temporary director of marketing in more recent times.

It now appears that Carrefour Belgium is in need of a strong guiding influence as further doubts emerge over the danger of its share of the retail trade in the country shrinking further. Speculation in certain quarters has suggested it could possibly fall below 20%. With Delhaize firmly established as the leaders in this particular arena with a market share of 26.14%, and Colruyt intending to build on their newly acquired status as the best of the rest having risen to a mark of 24.1%, Carrefour Belgium has a fight on its hands to stop the rot.

It is not only Delhaize and Colruyt that Carrefour private label will have to contend with in Belgium, as changes in the retail sector there have mirrored those in other European nations. The rise of discount operators like Aldi and Lidl creates cause for even greater concern, and with the two German based companies already holding a combined share of 16.8% and planning further expansions, there can be little doubt that Carrefour Belgium desperately needs to broaden its appeal.

Private Label vs Branded Goods Europe

The constant battle ground between the Private Label and Branded Goods means manufacturers are focusing on key strategies to stay on top of the game.

Colour cosmetics is one area where the traditional branded goods have been more dominant that in other segments. However economic downturn enables private label to gain foot holds in certain areas of this market. Combined with the ease of mimicking top brand and being able to maintain a high quality of product helps to add market share to the private label Color cosmetic market.

Private Label Acne and Skin Care

Found this article very imformative and while it is a little of topic of Private label Acne Care and Cosmetics it is good indication of what to look for when you are selecting the products for your private label.

Being the outermost layer of our body, skin faces all types of pollutants, microorganism attacks, and weather changes, while protecting our body tissue at the cost of its own health. It is necessary to take daily care of skin in order to avoid any skin disorders. For people suffering from acne, a skin care regimen becomes more important as a lack of cleansing and hygiene might lead to a flare-up of already infected skin.

It is easy to take care of normal skin. But acne-infected skin needs special handling as it becomes sensitive to cosmetics, dietary habits, and psychological factors like stress.

Acne-infected skin should be washed with a mild cleanser. Cleansers or soaps with very heavy fragrances should be avoided as they might trigger an allergic reaction. If you have acne, wash your face at least twice a day: once in morning and in the evening, along with washing with a three-step acne kit. In between, wash your face after any strenuous activity which might make you perspire, like exercise. Acne-infected skin should not be scrubbed as it will spread the infection on other areas of skin. Instead, use an oil-absorbing microfiber cloth that grabs oil and traps it. Skin should be thoroughly rinsed with water after washing. Dermatologists also recommend for acne patients to shampoo hair regularly as oils from the hair spread to the face with ease.

If your skin is very oily, an alcohol-based astringent is ideal to wipe the skin before washing or before going to bed. Based on our own research, we helped build a solution that does not use alcohol, which burns the skin. Keep in mind that this astringent should be put on a microfiber cloth first and then on the skin. Do not use too much astringent as it might cause irritation in the skin. For dry skin, use a 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide as it is less harsh than 5-10% Benzoyl Peroxide creams. But, if your skin is dry and you suffer from acne, then keep away from creamy cosmetics or cleansing milk as it will increase the oiliness of infected area.

Acne patients should wash their face with warm water, mild soap, and use only their fingertips for washing. Do not use any kind of scrub, harsh wash cloth, or sponge on the skin infected with acne. Rinse with warm water and then pat dry. All this hardly takes a minute but makes a lot of difference to your skin. When using a microfiber cloth, make sure to wash the cloth after every use.

Although skin care is necessary to maintain healthy skin, if you do not pay attention to the internal processes for healthy skin, then no amount of outer care will make your skin clear. A poor diet, bad digestive function, liver malfunction, excessive sun exposure, and smoking are some of the reasons behind bad and unhealthy skin. Keep in mind too that there is no cure for acne, so it will keep coming back until you do something to actively treat it. We recommend staying away from oral acne fighting products as they have negative side effects.

For acne patients, it is very important to pay attention to what kind of cosmetics purchased and use. Most of the cosmetics have chemicals which produce comedones (pimple). If you have acne then you should look for cosmetics which are labeled as being non-comedogenic. All the cosmetics you use should be oil free. Ideally, they should have acne-fighting ingredients in them! Even oily hair products might spread acne to the forehead and T-area (the shape the acne makes down your nose and across your eyebrow ridge). To have healthy skin, it's necessary to get rid of dead skin cells. If you don't, then the skin will look dull. Dead skin prevents oxygen, moisture and nutrients from reaching the new skin cells being formed under the dead cells. Scrubs and chemical peels can be used to rid skin of dead cells, but they are dangerous. Again, based on this research and recommendations from dermatologists, we helped build an outstanding exfoliator which removes the outer layer of dead skin so the medication can do its. We call this product Tru-derma, and you can read more about it here and make a decision for yourself.

For people having acne or very oily skin, a traditional face mask made of gram flour is also very useful. It not only exfoliates dead cells without harming the skin, it also dries out the excess oil and relieves the skin of stickiness. In fact, it is good to use natural cleansers on acne skin and oily skin. Orange peels are one such method which makes oily skin glow with its essential oils and drying property. You can prepare it at home by drying out an orange peel and then grinding it to a fine mix. It is especially good in summers to clean skin of excessive oil.

All-in-all, essential skin care can be completed in four easy steps. Determine your skin type, perhaps with the help of some skin specialist. Clean your skin daily. Use a 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide exfoliator, a toner to cleanse your skin once you have exfoliated the dead and dirty skin away, and apply a restoring cream to keep the acne from returning. Optional care includes a moisturizer, even for oily skin, as all types of skin need protection and lubrication. Protect your skin from the sun and exfoliate regularly to remove dead cells.

We personally recommend our effective three-step kit, Tru-derma, which we have built to stringently conform to the specifications of medical professionals and dermatologists, most of which have been outlined in this article. To jump to information on Tru-derma, click here.

Private label grows in Europe

Private Label Growth predicted in Europe dispite the global slow down but experts warn that for long term planners that quality has to be addressed.

It is not hard to see why the Private Label sector would grow during an economic down turn, as people every where from all class's start to feel the pinch those no-branded products on the shelves now seam to be more an more attractive due to the lower prices of there branded counter parts, So where does this growth go. In the short term more an more supermarkets, buying agents and buying services companies are truning to the private label to help increase sales whilst maintaining margins. Creating a Private label is quick and cost effective to put to the market with lots of European manufacturers gearing up to provide such services.

Initially the traditional manufacturers saw private labeling as a trend a phase one that did not command a large enough market share to justify opening new department and shaking things up a little to focus on getting a private label soloution out to the people who were at the time exploring this new outlet. This has now changed. Even though the private labels market share is still small it is increasing. In Eastern Europe for example there are been reports of over 23% increase in the cosmetic private label markets.

Many experts warn however simply jumping on the private label band wagon, whilst in the short term can be effective, can not be sustained without addressing the issue of quality. In effect turning out cheap low quality Private label products in the short term and especially in a global slow down will work as customers look to stretch there household budgets, however an increasing number of people are still expecting high quality and when the