Body fragrance candy hits European shelves over holiday season

10-Jan-2013 - Last updated on 10-Jan-2013 at 11:52 GMT

Receiving sweets and perfume over the holiday season is no great surprise as they are two of the period’s bestsellers, but thanks to an exclusive distribution deal for a US-Bulgaria collaboration, consumers can now buy candy that incorporates body fragrance all-in-one.

The agreement was reached between DG Imports, and US ingredients company Beneo and Bulgarian confectioner Alpi to make Deo Perfume Candy readily available in store over the Christmas period in Europe.

The product claims to work from the inside out, and Datamonitor analyst Tom Vierhile told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com that it is one of the most innovative products to hit the shelves.

Special ingredient

Beneo and Alpi produced the Deo Perfume Candy claiming that when the sweets are consumed, the skin emits rose oil components contained in the confectionery product in the form of an ingredient called geraniol.

Geraniol is a natural component of rose oil that evaporates through the skin. One serving size (four pieces) generates a fragrance effect lasting six hours depending upon body weight.

“We have seen a handful of chewing gum products in Japan that have been formulated with geraniol and have had a body fragrancing benefit,” PLA director Vierhile explained.

Beyond gum, this is the only other category to have a product with any kind of body fragrancing feature, according to the analyst.

The product, manufactured in Bulgaria by Alpi, was launched in the US late last year and is now set for Europe.

Building on US success

The product sales picked up in line with the mass media attention it received, to the extent that stock rang out for the US market and had to be replenished, according to the company.

Guy Marlow, marketing director for DG Imports told this publication’s sister site ConfectioneryNews.com: “We have already started selling to retailers and beauty-up.fr is the first in France to stock Deo Perfume Candy, we also have a fitness centre in Italy stocking the product.”

“We are in talks with high street stores in the UK and have a company working on our behalf in France also talking with major retailers.”

As part of the deal, DG Imports has rights to the product in all EU countries except Spain, Latvia and Lithuania, where exclusive rights have been given to local companies.