New to the US naturals market - Katavi Botanicals and South African plant extracts
Building on the notion that plants which survive intense environmental circumstances can help skin do the same, Katavi Botanicals has developed a collection of creams, oils and serums.
Fruit for thought
Ingredients extracted from five cosmetic superfruits growing in Africa are central to the company’s product formulations. Kigelia, baobab, marula, mongongo, and moringa yield the active ingredients in Katavi skin care products.
Mongongo oil, explains the company website, is up to 54% linoleic acid and “helps maintain skin’s natural moisture balance.”
Superfruit is a term used at the discretion of a given brand and isn’t formally defined by the FDA. Generally such fruits are exciting ingredients because of their potential to improve the health or wellness of consumers.
Naturals are trendy
The trend for natural and organic products is still going strong. And, added to that are consumer expectations that brands behave ethically in regards to the environment, employment conditions and more. A recent Mintel report on consumer trends noted that US consumers not only have high standards for companies but also more channels to voice and enforce their expectations thanks to digital media.
Such consumer preferences are not lost on Katavi Botanicals: "Key ingredients are ethically harvested in a sustainable manner and rural communities benefit from the process," said Jacqui Buchanan, the company’s new brand ambassador.
US and TV
Buchanan will be the brand’s spokesperson in Katavi’s forthcoming debut on a television shopping channel in the US. The company is “finalizing negotiations” for an anticipated launch early next year.
The skin care line is already available to consumers in the continental US shopping online.
The brand story
Katavi Botanicals developed the skin care products over the course of 25+ years and initially sold them only in South Africa. The father of Janine Halsted (a company founder) inspired the brand with his custom creams made with fruit from the kigelia tree.
His products were ostensibly effective but stinky. So Halstead teamed up with beauty industry professional Carolyn Berman to collaborate on what has become Katavi Botanicals.
"Through 25 years of patience and perseverance, we've not only identified ingredients that have a good synergy with Kigelia, we've also determined the perfect quantities to ensure each ingredient challenges the other to peak performance. And,” Berman notes, “ we ensured our creams smell and feel wonderful!"
