Faravelli: strategies and new ingredients for cosmetics

Today, Faravelli is synonymous with the professional distribution of the best ingredients and materials for the food, animal nutrition, cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and chemical sectors. Each sector corresponds to a dedicated division staffed by professionals able to support their clients and provide 360° service for every technical and commercial need.

Faravelli Cosmetics Division, for example, is the newest division of the company and dedicated to the world of cosmetics.

Thanks to an internal cosmetics application lab, Faravelli is able to develop prototypes and formulations using raw materials and ingredients suggested by their partners.

Cosmopolo interviewed Guido Rovati, Faravelli’s Sales & Marketing Director and Sandro Ballariano, the new Director of the Faravelli Cosmetic Division.

Mr. Rovati, how did the lockdown affect your company?

It was an emergency situation that catapulted us into the future, by this I mean in the way in which we work. Working from home became a must. Faravelli put great effort into supporting this and allowing, in very few hours, all employees to continue to work efficiently from home.

As we all know by now, the health situation has not improved in months and working remotely is still the way that 95% of our collaborators are operating, always with great efficiency. 

So, it made you “change” your mode of production and hence, way of working? 

Yes. I would say especially for those that work in sales as they had to adapt to a more virtual way of communicating with clients.

In general, the amount of work has increased, also because immediately following the outbreak of the pandemic we had to reassure our clients.

We did it. Everyone in the company did their best to ensure that activities could continue and that service was even more punctual and precise, a true support for our clients. Months later, we can say that we’ve readily adapted to this strange new “normal”. And in light of recent events, I really fear that we’ll have to continue this way for some time yet, but we are equipped to do so. 

Did some markets close on you?

Unfortunately, right at the beginning, some production segments in our markets were stopped for a few weeks.

Things have slowly restarted over the past few months but as we know, the latest developments have brought about new restrictions even if they are maybe less decisive with respect to the first lockdown.

We will still have them for a long time I fear, even if everyone’s hope, as well as mine, is that the situation can return to normal as soon as possible.

Did it “force” you to study and put new strategies in place, also with regards to communication?

Of course, we implemented different communication campaigns, like on social media, asking our employees to literally  “show their faces”, that is, to actually make themselves seen, to tell our customers what it felt like to work from home (the #faravelliinsmartworking campaign) and what they wanted to do after the lockdown (the #Cosafarai? campaign). We wanted to send a strong message of solidarity, at the end of the day, we were all on the same boat and I’m happy to know that this idea was very successful. 

This approach will also continue more and more in the future.

As one could tell, you stayed active and proactive, so much so that in September, your Cosmetics Division welcomed a new Director…

Yes, for us, it was a prime example of selecting personnel during Covid. It happened in unexpectedly record time, we were able to find an important resource, a professional that has already taken the reins in our cosmetics division that I know will be extremely strategic for us. I’m certain that he will help us reach exciting new heights. 

Mr. Ballariano, what is the approach you have towards your clients?

Offering our clients expertise built over many years of working in the sector is the essential priority. Our approach is to present ourselves as professional interlocutors to manage daily technical and commercial issues.

So you’re both purposeful and proactive?

I would definitely say so: to problem solving, which comes naturally to us, we add the offer of “tailor made” formulative solutions that fully exalt the synergy among our ingredients, they can be a very valid starting point for the creation of new cosmetic products.

Therefore, there’s a continuous dialogue?

The global presence of the Faravelli group allows us to have a continuous exchange of information both internally and with clients in regards to: new trends, innovative ingredients and the sales actions that deliver major success. 

Do you provide your clients with quick answers to personal requests in order to guarantee tailor-made advice?

The work of the Cosmetics Business Unit has always been more oriented to supplying solutions built around the needs of the client: today an “I have a good product/formula that I offer to everyone” type of approach doesn’t work anymore. Our customers will require more and more flexibility in customization, and consequently we have to be ready with very specific, targeted solutions.

Is the environmental aspect present in Faravelli’s production philosophy?

The reduction of mono-use plastic consumption and all-around energy savings are musts.

And to conclude, in your opinion, are there market trends that will define the near future in the world of cosmetics?

In my opinion, some of the most interesting upcoming trends will be:

• extreme customization of the finished product;
• sustainability of products and of manufacturing companies;
• “Emulsifier Free” emulsions. They are considered less sensitizing for the skin, therefore more suitable for sensitive skin and will be a real technical challenge for formulators.