The third largest selective perfumery chain in France in sales terms, Nocibé, has started to reorganise its expanding network of boutiques. The company, which now belongs to the UK investment fund Charterhouse Capital Partners, reported a 10% rise in sales for 2007 to €572m with market share improving slightly to 16.5%.
Nocibé has 423 points of sale of which 98 are franchises and this puts the company in second place in network terms. The network has developed out of the purchase of chains such as Process Blue and Euro Santé Beauté as well as the takeover of smaller units whose owners have retired. Now the company is working on a new concept with the Carre Noir agency to give a fresh image to the brand and is piloting this on 15 sites. Xavier Dura, Nocibe's president, said that for some the new look had already led to double-digit sales growth. The project will be completed during the second half of this year and will be rolled out to between 40 and 60 boutiques a year. The network is also to be enlarged with 30 new shops to be opened this year, of which ten will be franchises. Meanwhile, a new PR agency is being recruited and the budget for PR will be increased by 30% this year. Finally, Nocibé will launch new own-brand products this year with a range of bio-care products scheduled for the spring.