South African black haircare brand ready for UK launch
Black Like Me, a range of haircare products for black men and women, is to launch in the UK in June.
The brand, which includes a range of shampoo and styling products, will be available through major retail stores such as Tesco, Superdrug and Sainsbury’s.
Black Like Me, which claims to have a ten per cent share of the South African market, will be launched in the UK in partnership with British company Renbow International, which manufactures own-branded haircare products for retailers.
The brand has been developed by South African entrepreneur Herman Mashaba.
A spokeswoman for Black Like Me says: “The idea of the Black Like Me brand was born out of the Apartheid situation, when a lot of people in South Africa felt very unglamorous.”
According to UK marketing director Peter Mudahy, Black Like Me plans to capture 16 per cent of the ethnic market over the next three years. There are 4.2 million black consumers in the UK.
Revlon, which recently appointed actress Halle Berry as its figurehead, expanded its UK range last year to include colours suitable for darker skin. Known in the UK as the Ethnic Shade range, the products are available at branches of Boots in areas with significant black or Asian communities (MW November 1, 2001).
