Sorbet preens for London salon opening

SORBET, the beauty franchise that has popped up all over South Africa since launching in 2005, is to open its first Sorbet Salon in the UK, in Muswell Hill, London, next month.

“Our entry into the UK market has been a long time coming,” said CEO Ian Fuhr.

“We understand from our suppliers currently active in the UK that the market is highly fragmented and the opportunity exists to build a salon brand that offers customer convenience, service excellence and a consistent brand promise.”

The first salon will be company-owned, and Sorbet plans to open another two company-owned salons over the next year. After that, the business model will be assessed before franchising options are rolled out.

Dermalogica and Environ will be the flagship products used and sold in the salon, and as soon as the Sorbet Salon range has been tested and approved by the UK regulatory board, it will be introduced there. Initially, South Africans will staff the UK salon.

Sorbet’s beauty treatments include manicures, pedicures and facials. There are 126 outlets in South Africa, most of them franchises. Its beauty loyalty programme, started in 2006, has 200 000 members.

Jade Kirkel, marketing manager of Sorbet Group South Africa, said the group was investigating its next international step, likely to be Dubai.

Fuhr started the chain after his beauty therapist told him during his regular massage that there was a gap in the market. What sets Sorbet apart is that it is a retail store that offers beauty treatments, as opposed to traditional beauty salons, which offer 65% beauty treatments and 35% product.