Accueil » HIGH END BEAUTY RETAILER L’OCCITANE PINS GROWTH ON NATURAL PRODUCTS HIGH END BEAUTY RETAILER L’OCCITANE PINS GROWTH ON NATURAL PRODUCTS In 1995, the beauty retailer L’Occitane was close to bankruptcy. By 2015 it turned into a global player with 92% of sales from foreign countries, including 40% from Asia. Global Retail News met Nicolas Siriez, Managing Director of L’Occitane en Provence since May 2012. Through . Published on 20 October 2015 à 1h39 - Update on 10 May 2019 à 18h15 Resources Global Retail News: Can you please showcase the L’Occitane group? Nicolas Siriez: L’Occitane creates, manufactures and sells cosmetic products from natural and organic ingredients. We run 2,797 stores, including 50% fully-owned units. In the fiscal year to March 2015, our operating margin jumped by 24% and turnover increased by 11.7% to €1.18 billion (+5.7% like-for-like). Where does this dynamic come from? Essentially from foreign countries, which account for 92% of sales. Japan is the largest sales market (16% of sales, 111 stores), followed by the U.S.A. (13%, 214 stores), Hong Kong (11%, 33 stores), China (9%, 161 stores) and France (7%, 81 stores). Chinese like-for-like sales jumped by 13% in 2014, Russian by 12%, Japanese by 9% and Taiwan by 6%. Do you prefer investing directly to expand or via local partnerships?…