Interview with Manuela Bermúdez, Chief Scientific Officer PhD, at Quimivita

Manuela Bermúdez, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer at Quimivita

Manuela, can you tells us a bit more about Quimivita`s history?

Is a company specialized in designing, manufacturing and distributing chemical products and laboratory equipment to a wide range of sectors such as Cosmetics, Food, Industry, Pharmacy and Veterinary. More than 50 years guarantee QUIMIVITA as a specialist in the chemical sector, offering quality solutions to more than 1,200 customers in different countries.

The expansion strategy established by QUIMIVITA in the medium and long term is marked by a philosophy based on ensuring the best service to customers, guaranteeing the highest quality of the specialized products it offers. QUIMIVITA's mission is to become "a supplier to cover most of our customers' needs". The strategy will be to offer customers special services for ingredient blends, specific formulations, as well as technical support for product development, regulatory issues, general assessment of raw material efficiency, knowledge of the different regulations required for raw material approval, as well as communication or creation of the required records, among others, to ensure the customer the best option.

What markets do you cover?

We are currently working to open new markets all over the world.

Our own team is covering all the European markets focusing more in Germany, France, Poland, Italy and United Kingdom where we believe we can become a strong player inside the cosmetic industry.

Where Quimivita has also a strong presence is in the following African countries: Senegal, Cameroon, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Partnering with distributors of countries beyond the European continent allows us to adapt the offer of our products, customizing them to the maximum for each market.

The markets we cover the most in Asia are China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea and India.

The continent that we are penetrating the slowest is South America. Nevertheless, we are present in Colombia, Peru and Chile.

We also have our eye on the USA, where we are also starting to develop some business.

We believe that is important and necessary to create long business relationships with partners and that’s why we prefer to take our time searching for the correct partner.

What would you consider your special strengths?

Our differential strategy is to grow through innovation and constant dynamism, as indicated by its logo that perfectly reflects the current internal philosophy, "LIVELY INNOVATION". It is committed to the diversification of the range of products offered, trying to expand its portfolio with its own technology-based products.

QUIMIVITA considers fundamental the creation and development of new projects through the so-called "open innovation". Together with Startups, Technological Centers or Universities, it aims both to develop new types of active and/or functional ingredients, and to evaluate their safety and efficacy in different types of formulations, in order to subsequently add them to its product portfolio, providing the customer with a high added value.

You mention that one of your specialties is offering clean beauty solutions. Can you give us an example?

That's right, we started developing clean beauty technologies just over four years ago. Our first contribution was a green emollient, Vita Silky Fluid, as a perfect alternative as Natural Silicone replacement, such as D5. Two years ago (January 31, 2020), the use of this type of silicone in wash-off cosmetic products was banned. The silicone industry has achieved a transition period to apply the restriction on leave-in products, but nowadays, very few companies incorporate it in new skin and hair care developments. Our technology responds perfectly to the needs of sensory results, while complying with regulatory requirements and the demands of green cosmetics.

Do you have any new launches at In-Cosmetics in Paris?

After the first launch of Vita Silky Fluid, we have been launching more initiatives in Clean Beauty technologies, from bio-fermentation, such as Vita Soft Peel, a multifunctional ingredient, which in other properties, is a natural alternative to salicylic acid, to upcycled ingredients, such as Exfobreeze, coming from cork particles, and where our company is researching in obtaining more alternatives, based on upcycling. 

All of them are presented for the first time at In Cosmetics Global.

Our novelty is Vita Naturgel®, a natural soluble hydrocolloid, extracted from certain from selected species of red algae – Rhodophyceae and brown algae.

Marine resources are a renewable source of various compounds, such as polysaccharides. Vita Naturgel was born in the oceans to land in cosmetics.

This plant-based thickener, producing exceptional organoleptic characteristics and increases the natural feel of cosmetic products.

It is an ideal alternative for replacing microplastic thickeners.