GCC Home-grown Success Story: The Camel Soap Factory
HOME-GROWN SUCCESS STORY
The Camel Soap Factory
Year of establishment: 2013
Name of founder: Stevi Lowmass
Evolution of the brand: Lowmass had always been fascinated with hand-made, natural soaps – particularly those incorporating milk, used for nourishing skin for millennia. She realised that camel milk, long revered by Bedouins for its cosmetic uses, would make an ideal base for natural soap products. Having toured a natural soap factory in Australia, she became convinced that a similar venture, tailored for the local context, would work in Dubai. It would also provide her with a way of giving something back to the UAE that she called home for more than a decade. After experimenting with making and selling camel milk soap at school fairs, it was clear that there was a high demand for the product, and so The Camel Soap Factory was born in 2013. The company has since grown its production, distribution network and range of products and has won numerous awards. The Camel Soap Factory products are now recognised as a leading gift choice in the UAE and have been embraced globally. Despite its rapid growth trajectory, The Camel Soap Factory remains committed to producing handcrafted, natural, ethically produced and environmentally-friendly products of the highest quality.
Commercial success: The Camel Soap Factory’s initial commercial partners were largely in the gifts trading sector and it collaborated with Al Jaber Gallery to provide unique hand-made local gifts to the tourist market. Subsequently the company has moved into commercial retail and can be found at Carrefour, Waitrose and Spinneys. More recently, the company has brought out a high-quality milled product aimed at the commercial as opposed to tourist sector. This product is being sold through partners such as Carrefour as well as online on Kibsons and Mumzworld.com.
Phased business transformation: Given that much of The Camel Soap Factory’s business to date has been focused on the tourist market, it was clear very early in the COVID-19 crisis that it would have to completely change the focus of business. The tourism market may not recover quickly, at least in the first 12 months. However, The Camel Soap Factory was already in the process of developing a beautiful range of milled soaps, which are intended to be sold at a more attractive price allowing the company to address the UAE and GCC markets. Additionally, The Camel Soap Factory has released a new skin cream, called Face Rescue Cream, and will be bringing to market, other hand and body creams. These products have been developed and will be sold on a direct to consumer model.
Major hurdles crossed: The Camel Soap Factory’s first major hurdle was early in the COVID-19 crisis when many retail stores selling to tourists were forced to close doors. It became very clear that the brand would have to change direction. As with many SMEs, The Camel Soap Factory has had to take major actions to preserve cash in the business and look at all revenue options. The brand’s primary focus has been on preserving cash flow and growing new revenue streams, particularly growing the brand’s online presence.