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Intuition, innovation and entrepreneurial success It takes courage to succeed as an entrepreneur – to start and persevere in your own business, especially when faced with challenges. Albeit a small company, Essential Specialised Products is one of those courageous businesses. As the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary, we explore ESP’s journey to reach this significant milestone. By Abby Vorster
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ssential Specialised Products, or The 2016 move was significant – ESP as it’s known to customers during this time ESP unpacked its and throughout the cosmetics first full container of shea butter and and personal care industry, was did its first direct indent to one of its established in January 2010 by Jane global customers. Grainger. At the time, Grainger had Shea butter is still one of ESP’s top identified an opportunity in the market selling products. It is widely used in the for a specialised supplier and wanted cosmetics industry to protect skin from to develop a company that was small environmental aggressors, UV radiation, and focused enough to handle customer photoageing and to eliminate superficial enquiries for specialised ingredients. irritations. The high level of fatty acids “The emphasis on the word specialised (dominated by oleic, stearic and linoleic is central to ESP’s ability to be on acids) and the unsaponifiable fraction the same wavelength as its contribute to its ability to customers,” she explains. moisturise the epidermis “It talks to the original and retain skin’s meaning of the elasticity. Shea term ESP and butter is also is why our payoff said to line is ‘we be superior know what to both you want’!” cocoa butter Like many small and jojoba businesses, butter in the the company treatment of initially operated damaged hair. out of Grainger’s While these garage. Two years highlights form the later, in 2012, ESP better part of ESP’s moved into its very first first decade in business, office. The business kept on Shea butter is one of ESP’s it hasn’t always been a top selling products growing, which resulted in smooth ride. In 2018, an subsequent moves to bigger investor showed interest in office space in 2014 and again in 2016. the company and what seemed like it would provide a positive boost ended up having a negative impact on the business. Grainger explains: “We spent most of 2019 rebuilding the business after a lot of damage had been done to the ESP brand. We’d worked too hard and come too far to give up. Our passion
"We always say, ‘at ESP our red tape is green’“
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SEPTEMBER 2020 // WWW.PHARMACOS.CO.ZA
Did you know? ESP is launching an e-commerce platform which will allow customers to order its products online. This innovation forms part of ESP’s ability to adapt in line with its customers’ needs. Everything from active ingredients to oils, butters and functional products will be available to purchase online and delivered via courier. The e-commerce offering is launching soon and will be easily accessible via ESP’s website. and drive to survive eventually paid off, resulting in us ending 2019 on a high.” At the beginning of 2020, the company moved into its dream office space with an adjacent warehouse, located in Factoria, the industrial suburb of Krugersdorp, Gauteng.
FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE AND CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ESP is a professional and proudly South African distributor of a wide range of cosmetic and personal care ingredients. “Our ingredients are sourced from established and reputable partners from around the world, many of whom are leading innovators in various specialist ingredient segments,” says Grainger. “Our reputation for outstanding service, reliability and integrity, coupled with long-standing experience, allows us to exceed the expectations of even the most demanding customers.” The company’s team plays an important role in upholding this ethos. Liz Visser, ESP’s sales and marketing manager, joined the business in 2010 and has been Grainger’s right-hand lady ever
