The Himalaya range of products" The Middle East drug maker has partnered with Jacky's (Kenya) Limited, a local distributor, to supply its range of skin and hair care products in Kenya.

Himalaya, the Dubai-based pharmaceutical company last week entered Kenya's fast-growing league of herbal cosmetic supplies.

Buoyed by a dose of successful business in the Middle East, the drug maker has partnered with Jacky's (Kenya) Limited, a local distributor, to supply its range of skin and hair care products in the country.

"After tasting success in the Middle East with both Arab and Expat consumers, we are launching Himalaya Herbals in Kenya and expect it to be one of our key markets in the future," said Mr Prafull Dwivedi, the area manager in charge of the Middle East and Africa regions.

Dwivedi said the products, which contain 100 percent herbal actives, have received positive response in the Middle East region in just less then three years. The herbal brand of the personal care category, he said competes "neck-to-neck" with other established global brands like Nivea and Venus.

"The most important ingredient in successfully establishing a brand is in having the right tie-up in every country we venture into," Dwivedi said during the launch of the product in Nairobi. In Kenya we have a perfect partner, which has a portfolio of winning brands and with whom there is a perfect match in ideologies and beliefs."

Mr. Haresh Gokals, Jacky's Kenyan executive director, said he was looking to becoming a leading supplier of Himalaya herbals in the local market. Himalaya's range of skin care herbals include, among others, face washes, exfoliating scrubs, face masks, refreshing toner, moisturising lotion, acne cream, fairness cream, body lotions and foot care cream, while hair care products are protein shampoos, conditioners, anti-dandruff shampoo, oils and creams.

Gokals said that the partnership with Himalaya "is a case of perfect synergy in common values and beliefs and our aim is to establish Himalaya herbals as the most preferred personal care brand in Kenya."

Jacky's also distributes Toshiba electronics and range of food-based products.

The Jacky's boss said: "The world is going organic and we believe the herbal products are going to get good response in Kenya," a market that is already under the grip of leading global brands like Nivea and Venus, but he isn't worried: "Competition is healthy and only the fittest survive. We are ready for that. The mature consumer looks beyond glitzy ads to the quality of the product."

Gokal said the economic mood in the country promises good returns for investors.

Dwivedi said the company, whose flagship brand - Liv.52 (liver formulation) - sells more than 1.5 billion tablets annually in over 40 countries, takes an average of 10 years of research before introducing a formulation in the market.

He said Himalaya's success story is the result of 74 years of intense research to integrate science and herbs into modern health care products that use 100 percent herbal actives free from side effects.

"Himalaya realized that consumers were not getting their rightful entitlement from nature and developed the cosmeceautical division for value added natural products," Dwivedi said.