Puressentiel has continued to grow, with the creation of subsidiaries abroad and signing of new distribution agreements, spearheaded by CEO Rocco Pacchioni.
Since 2011, Puressentiel has had an international influence which has been spearheaded by Rocco Pacchioni, CEO, Puressentiel. It has continued to grow, with the creation of subsidiaries abroad and the signing of new distribution agreements. In a Q&A, Rocco Pacchioni, CEO, Puressentiel, gave more details. Excerpts:
Q: How has Puressentiel India’s launch created the first aromatherapy laboratory and success story so far?
A: “An independent family laboratory with a simple belief in effectiveness in its purest form!” 15 years ago my parents, Isabelle and Marco Pacchioni created Laboratoire Puressentiel together. Inspired by their shared love and respect for nature, they started off as a couple, continuing as a family, revolutionising the essential oil market and the natural health sector.
Puressentiel sources what nature does best, always committed to an environmentally responsible and ethical way of working and offering the very best to its users: simple, natural, and effective products.” Essential oils are precious and rare materials that come from leaves, fruit, seeds, bark, and roots, collected across all five continents. Huge quantities are sometimes required to extract just a few drops of an active substance. Puressentiel ensures 100% transparent, responsible, sustainable production and sourcing, to offer its users around the world durable, pleasant, and easy-to-use products made from 100% pure and natural active ingredients.
As a pioneer in aromatherapy research, since its beginnings, Puressentiel has carried out more than 500 clinical studies and efficacy and tolerance tests, and more than 3,500 testing and development procedures. All have been conducted alongside hospital physicians and independent research centres.
Q: What is your take on the Indian audience on aromatherapy and naturopathy?
A: The Indian audience is very keen on accepting and open-minded about the new natural way of living. Essential oils are an integral part of ayurveda and thus the India market is familiar with the same. It has been easier to launch the brand in India for the same reason.
Q: How has e-commerce helped the brand to grow in India? Also, considering on-ground stores that have been opened, how has been the response so far?
A: The pandemic has altered standard practice of a new brand launch in any new territory. E-commerce has only gained popularity and in India with Amazon and Nykaa, we hope to see some great potential as they have a large consumer base. Offline, we started with Foodhall and Le Marche to cater to our target market and have seen a great deal of repeat customers. We are very happy with the initial response.
Q: What is the expansion strategy of the brand in India and are there any new launches slated? Tell us about your international business as well.
A: Now that we are noticing an upward sales trend, we have many plans to grow. We are launching an entire range of DIY essential oil kits for your daily concerns. From lack of sleep, smooth skin, shiny hair and pain relief kits will become the new way of life. We hope to capture and inform the audience about the benefits of aromatherapy. We are actually launching the kits and essential oils simultaneously all over the 90 countries we distribute to. So India is in line with the international launches and markets. Internationally, we continue doing R&D and innovation is at the core of our ethos. Thus, we are able to quickly adapt to the demand. Growing and developing new markets is the main focus at the moment. The European leader in natural, effective health, our ambition is to become a global leader.
Q: Considering that the pandemic has affected all sectors, tell us about the brand strategy.
A: Puressentiel was launched in India at a very critical time amidst Covid. The pandemic has actually helped and facilitated the shift of focus on wellness and personal care. The strategy was to go the e-commerce way to get the awareness out. We are actually seeing a great response from offline stores. We plan to move to Duty Free as well once the airport traffic picks up.
Q: How is Puressentiel an eco-friendly brand?
A: Puressentiel is committed to a 100% environmentally responsible, ethical, and sustainable commitment. For us, ensuring natural, pure, safe, and effective products relies on continuous improvements and constantly improving formulas and harvesting, manufacturing, packaging, and distribution processes. Research and the selection of ingredients and active ingredients, along with every stage of the manufacturing process, follow an approach that has to be ethical, environmentally friendly, responsible, and sustainable. We, therefore, select its suppliers based on their ability to ensure total traceability throughout the supply chain, from cultivation to the finished product.
Q: Tell us about Puressentiel Foundation and projects supported by them?
A: Committed to a fair, responsible approach that respects humankind and our environment, Puressentiel has always supported many like-minded causes and associations since its inception. Giving something back to humankind and nature is the mission of the Puressentiel Foundation. Today, the Puressentiel Foundation is active around the world and has already spearheaded numerous charitable initiatives worldwide, including in South Africa, Burkina Faso, Belgium, France, Haiti, Lebanon, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, the Philippines, Togo, Rwanda, and Vietnam.