Tensmall and medium enterprises represented Namibia at the Vivaness 2020 organic and natural cosmetics trade fair in Germany where they exhibited beauty products made in Namibia from 12 to 15 February 2020.

The group attended the trade fair under the joint support of the Namibian Network of the Cosmetics Industry (NANCi), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH ´promotion of business advisory and economic transformation services´ and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development.

NANCi, the network for the local health and beauty industry, is a direct result of a public-private collaboration driving the implementation of the Growth at Home strategy launched by the trade ministry in November 2016.

NANCi chairperson Stefanie Hümmer, who was part of the delegation with her company !Nara Namibia Natural Cosmetics, said the Vivaness trade fair was inspiring.

The Vivaness fair is one of the biggest and most important trade fairs of its kind worldwide.

"We were able to see our Namibian offering in the context of the international health and beauty products´ market. And I can proudly state that cosmetics made in Namibia are competitive in the global market," she said.

Hümmer said: "The global market has moved away from simply labelling our products under ´fair trade´ and recognises African products under ´real trade´. Meeting our buyers – new and current – at the same level is refreshing and provides impetus to cosmetics made in Namibia to forge ahead in the global market."

NANCi aims at developing and promoting an inclusive, diversified, profitable and vibrant health and beauty industry in Namibia.

The delegation presented certified natural and organic health and beauty products.

All product categories represented were refined natural oils from marula, ximenia, Kalahari melon and jojoba seeds; health products like devil´s claw tea and food supplements; and cosmetics end-products made from Namibian ingredients, including novel ingredients like salt and charcoal powder from Namibia.

The 10 SMEs represented cut deals, which would increase Namibia´s footprint on the international markets, bringing home the much-needed foreign currency and creating both direct and indirect jobs, especially in the rural communities of Namibia.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of Namibia in Brussels, Belgium.