Mary Kay’s newest market is Peru

The multibillion-dollar company operates in close to 40 countries worldwide, and has been a viable player in beauty for over 50 years. As every brand, legacy and startup alike, strives to gain traction in the modern, digital retail reality, Mary Kay is growing steadily.

More than one way​

Competitive companies in the direct-sales / social-sales channel are not building out in the same way that Mary Kay is. The new brand on the block, LimeLight by Alcone, recently partnered with L'Occitane to take the brand and its direct-sales model global.

And industry stalwart Avon seems to working on a top-down strategy. Since the North American business became a private entity (New Avon​) early last year, the core company that is Avon Products has undergone several leadership changes. CEO Shri McCoy remains at the helm and will for the foreseeable future​.

But just since moving headquarters from New York City to London​, Avon Products has installed a new global president​, announced plans to hire a new general counsel​, and selected a new chief operating officer​.

Regional expansion​

Peru is hardly the first Latin American market for Mary Kay. The company already has a presence in Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Mexico.

In fact pros from some of those countries are instrumental in the company’s current expansion effort: “Mary Kay executives from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia have collaborated with Mary Kay Peru in all aspects of this expansion, from market research to tailoring the Mary Kay opportunity for optimal success in the Peruvian marketplace,”​ according to a press release.

Lima will be the site of Mary Kay’s headquarters in Peru. And the company is on track to have a grand opening there in September. In the meantime, “the in-country social media and web presence will be announced…as well as a series of demonstrations highlighting the world-renowned company’s beauty and skin care products,” ​notes the release. The company will also be showcasing “the business and entrepreneurial opportunities associated with being a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant” ​in the run up to September.