Global cosmetics giant, Oriflame, today introduced 24 new products into the East African market as it seeks to grow its market share and consolidate its position as the fastest growing company selling direct.

The introduction of the new products brings Oriflame’s product range to over 400 in the local market, making it the biggest cosmetics brand in the region by product range.

Oriflame East Africa chief executive officer, Fred Andersson, announced that the company had also reduced the catalogue prices of its popular brands by up to 40% in order to make them more affordable to existing and potential consumers.

“Our products have become very popular in this market and I believe making them more affordable will enhance our market share and consolidate our presence in the region,” said Andersson.

During his visit to Nairobi in January, Oriflame global CEO and president, Magnus Brännström, alluded to this positive outlook saying Kenya will be Oriflame’s gateway to the rest of the continent given its strategic geographical and economic position.

Brännström said the company’s business model, which is anchored on direct selling, was especially suited for Africa given close social relationships which is an enviable and long standing African tradition.

More than 35,000 people, many of them from Kenya, have joined the East African operation as independent sales consultants since it launched in Nairobi in 2008. There are more than 3.5 million independent sales consultants worldwide.

The company projects the number of independent sales consultants in East Africa will hit the 100,000 mark by the end of the year.