This week NaturaNectar circulated a media release about a new liquid propolis ingestible and announced the company’s forthcoming skin care line as well.
A South American ingredient story
The company sources propolis (green, red, and brown) from Brazil. “We exclusively source and harvest the best bee propolis of the world through our sister company, ALMAR Research and Development,” explains the NaturaNectar site.
And the company has even deeper roots in Latin America. The primary bee farms that supply NaturaNectar with propolis were established there in the late 1990s, and company co-founder Alessandro Esteves (currently COO) teamed up with researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil to learn more about the properties and possibilities of red propolis (which gets its color from the sap of the Coinvine shrub).
In 2008 the company was formally established and the following year, NaturaNectar launched its first commercial product: EaseFemin Menopausal Support, a supplement that contains aglycone isoflavones from the red propolis. Since then the product portfolio has grown substantially, with the most recent addition being this week’s launch of LIQUID Red Bee Propolis, which retails for $79.99 (60 mL).
Building a brand on clean bees
Ok. It’s not so much the bees that warrant a ‘clean’ distinction as it is the company’s extraction process; and while the forthcoming skin care line won’t of course be vegan, NaturaNectar’s processing methods will certainly resonate with clean beauty shoppers.
The company processes propolis without using conventional chemical solvents such as ethanol, propylene glycol, or CO2.
NaturaNectar uses a green extraction process that, according to an online timeline about the founding and progress of the company, can be attributed to Sven Salomon: “Sven Salomon, a biochemist in Denmark…developed a unique and efficient method to extract the best of bee propolis using only purified water as [an]extraction solvent.”
Moving into the beauty business
From the sounds of things, NaturaNectar skin care products are already in development: “In 2019, the company plans on introducing its first product of a new bee propolis skin care line,” states the company’s media relase.
Regarding skin care, J.L. Paes-Leme, co-founder and CEO of NaturaNectar, tells the press: “We are very excited to enter this segment of the industry and, as is our ongoing philosophy, we will always strive to be leaders and innovators. We will bring unique products to our customers,” he says.
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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.
