M & M General Trading Dubai UAE

In the UK, the Paul Bryan brand is synonymous with quality and professional hair results. "M & M General Trading has built its reputation on sourcing niche markets to supply to the UAE," explains the company's owner Marco Carstanjen. According to a MENA Report, the UAE cosmetic and personal care market is valued at over AED1.5 billion, making excellent business sense for this rapidly expanding import company to tap into the hair care lucrative sector. However, with over 3000 dedicated hair salons in the UAE and a plethora of hair care companies already represented, is there room for another hair care product? "Absolutely," argues Carstanjen, "Dubai is currently the fastest growing city in the world, with close to seven million tourists annually. The opportunities for this brand are endless."

The Paul Bryan range

Paul Bryan himself - creator of the collection - has vast experience in hair care and styling. With salons in the UK and previously the UAE, the Paul Bryan brand has firm roots in salon professional hair care. Advocating simplicity and results in its 'Keep it simple' concept, the current hair care range consists of five products, three for daily use and two for weekly additional hair pampering.

As Paul Bryan comments, "I wanted to create a hair care range that fits into the busy regime of real women, that cuts through the confusion of the hair care shelf." The range has proven to be so popular that the Paul Bryan brand is changing direction, with a focus now on training, education and designing new products, rather than salon expansion.

As the GCC's official distributor, M & M General Trading is responsible for managing retail accounts, overseeing local marketing and promoting the full range of products. As Carstanjen explains, "The Paul Bryan brand presents such a great opportunity to expand our product offering using our proven skills in service and value to our clients." The market potential for such a product in the region is hard to dispute. As Beauty Vision Middle East states, "the UAE boasts one of the highest annual GDPs per capita worldwide, resulting in high levels of disposable incomes and an increase in demand for luxury and cosmetic products." Main outlets for the brand are Dubai Duty Free, a highly visible and international outlet, as well as Lifestyle Pharmacy and the ever-expanding Spinneys supermarket chain. However, M & M Trading's role is not purely about importing the brand, it is also working in partnership with the company's UK marketing team and developing tactical point-of-sale delivery within the region.

Next on the agenda

With Paul Bryan hair care products being the fastest growing new brand within M & M's portfolio, what's next for a company that has quickly established a solid reputation within the market? With an eye to the future and a potentially huge market based on upcoming trends, M & M General Trading needs to keep ahead of the game. As Carstanjen predicts, "M & M General Trading will remain focused on delivering world class products and services to the GCC market and continue to seek out opportunities that will assist our growth and market position. We are currently looking to network and expand our brands' reach to other GCC countries."