In Late 2016 Anjana Srivastava joined Avon as the company’s first president of Health & Wellness. Her charge, “to develop a vision and strategy for the company’s entry into the extremely lucrative Health and Wellness business category focused on elevating and contemporizing the brand, stimulating new business development and increasing earnings for the existing 300,000 Representatives,” as Srivastava explains in her LinkedIn profile.
This week’s Espira launch is the realization of her early efforts to grow the company’s business into the wellness space – a cross-over nutrition category that consumers have begun to affiliate with beauty and personal care.
Ideas and inspiration
Just over a year ago when Srivastava accepted the post with Avon, she told the press why wellness was the right, next direction for New Avon: “As the company for women, Avon is committed to taking a leadership position on the issues that matter most to women – and her family's health and nutrition is a top concern,” she said. “An increasing number of consumers are seeking ways to improve their health and vitality as they are becoming aware of worsening obesity trends and incidence of chronic diseases,” Srivastava added.
Aside from being a clear strategic move to diversify the New Avon business, the launch of a wellness brand aligns nicely with the current lived experience of the company’s direct-sales / social-selling representatives.
“The inspiration for Espira came directly from our representatives as they lead busy lives as moms, nurturers, care givers, volunteers, community members – and CEOs of their households and of their Avon businesses. Our goal was to develop products that would support them and their customers in living healthier, more productive lives,” explains Betty Palm, president of social selling for Avon, in a media release about the Espira brand launch.
“The name Espira was derived from the words aspire and inspire – born out of a desire to help people feel and look their best,” she says. (Read more about Betty Palm and her role with New Avon here on Cosmetics Design.)
Powders and pills
The Espira brand is made up of three product collections, one to Restore, one to Boost, and one to Glow, as the media release explains. There are 11 products, all told, some powders but mostly capsules. And prices range from $12 - $35.
The Restore products promise to “help create a healthy balance by reducing occasional stress, and enhancing restful sleep,” according to the release. The “Boost products contain ingredients to help revitalize the body by maintaining a healthy metabolism, clearing out one's system and controlling hunger.” And the Glow products “help hair, skin and nails look their best by protecting you from daily damage and restoring cells while you sleep.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.