Deo Perfume Candy, co-developed by US ingredients company Beneo and Bulgarian confectionery firm Alpi, releases a rose scent through the skin once consumed.
The product, manufactured in Bulgaria, is exclusively imported into the US by Ecodeum LLC and sold online at Amazon.com and the firm is now looking to secure wider distribution.
Josh Brandoff, president of Ecodeum LLC, told ConfectioneryNews.com that retail distribution would cut the end-product cost for consumers.
“Deo Perfume Candy travels almost 5,000 miles from Bulgaria to reach the American market. Because of this, there will always be high costs associated with Deo’s importation. Wider distribution of the candy will allow us to take advantage of the volume discounts and drive the retail cost down for consumers,” Brandoff said.
Expanding retail presence
The firm started importing the product in late August and decided to commence sales online; a move to enable penetration into the market sooner while other retail opportunities were explored, Brandoff said.
There is a lot of excitement around the product and the short-term strategy is to fuel this further, he said.
“We believe that a new niche is currently being created for functional foods (like Deo Perfume Candy) both in the United States and globally. Because of this, we are not limiting ourselves to any particular type of store. We are exploring the market and open to unique partnerships,” he said.
The firm is in discussions with potential partners in a variety of venues and sending out samples to retailers interested in the product.
Once it hits shelves, the product will be found in the candy aisle. “Deo is first and foremost a delicious candy. While its consumption and metabolization do create a fragrant effect, we are not claiming specific health benefits so we do not feel it would be appropriate to shelve it next to other health items,” Brandoff said.
Plugging a beautiful gap
This product does plug a market gap, he said. “We think there are a lot of people in the US who are looking for more natural beautifying products. The primary ingredient in Deo Perfume Candy (and the one that creates the fragrant effect) is geraniol, a natural component of rose oil.”
One serving size (four pieces) of Deo Perfume Candy contains around 12 mg of geraniol and this amount is recommended for a person weighing 145 pounds. In this case, the fragrant effect will be experienced for six hours as the ingredient slowly evaporates through the skin. However, the strength and duration of the rose fragrance depends upon body weight.