Granado is an internationally recognised fragrance brand with a unique backstory.
Originally known as Granado Pharmácias, the company was founded in 1870 by Portuguese native José Antonio Coxito Granado who produced remedies, cosmetic products, and other items from the plants, herbs and native flowers of Teresópolis, a mountainous region near Rio de Janeiro.
Today, Granado Pharmácias has switched its logo to Granado Rio de Janeiro, a brand that is steadily making its way across the globe with its wide array of fragrance products inspired by the rich cultural and horticultural heritage of Brazil.
Granado opened the doors to Brazil’s oldest pharmaceutical shop, which also served the Brazilian Imperial family, in Rio de Janeiro in 1870.
The first official Granado store, which is still in operation today, was opened in 1917 in the same city, right in front of the Imperial Palace.
In 1994, the company experienced a rebirth as English entrepreneur Christopher Freeman acquired the company from the last remaining member of the Granado family. The businessman led the brand forward with a unique mix of modern and traditional marketing strategies and product development.
For example, as Sissi Freeman, the fragrance brand’s marketing director, explained to Inside Retail, her father completely shifted the company’s approach to product development in a more environmentally focused direction, in part inspired by Anita Roddick’s approach with The Body Shop.
The company, like many Brazilian cosmetics businesses at the time, had previously relied on animal fats for its products, and had to switch to vegetable-based formulations.
In 2004, Granado acquired Phebo, Brazil’s first luxury perfumery, which first launched in the 1930s, and began creating colognes, perfumes, and other fragrance products that call to mind the company’s home country.
Now, Sissi and her father along with the entire Granado team are working to introduce the brand to a more international audience of fragrance lovers.
Speaking to Inside Retail, Sissi explained that she had no intentions to work alongside her father but is thrilled to be a part of the business today.
In a sense, the Freemans are a continuation of Granado’s legacy of family ownership.
While Christopher handles the logistical side of operations, Sissi handles the marketing side of the company, along with some assistance from her Brazilian mother, who has carefully curated the Granado company’s archives, including photographs and furniture from the original store.
Part of the company’s strategy to introduce domestic and international fans to the Granado brand is to talk about its pharmaceutical origins, emphasis on naturally derived ingredients, and rich roots in Brazil.
Some of the ways it does this include creating stores that convey the colourful, warm spirit of Brazil through design, like the company’s New York flagship, which opened earlier this year, and collaborating with local Brazilian artists as well as Assouline, a high-end book imprint, covering the history of Granado.
The New York City store, located at 611 Madison Avenue in Midtown is the epitome of how Granado wishes to present itself to the American retail market, Sissi explained.
Before walking into the 300-square-foot shop consumers are greeted by a vibrant green storefront, with an equally bright interior featuring tropical-themed wallpaper, a bright green ceiling, and a black-and-white tiled floor. The goal of the store is to make consumers feel like they have been transported to Rio de Janeiro through the brand’s signature perfume, bath and body treatments, and home fragrances, as well as the bossa nova music playing in the background.
With Sissi having been partially raised and continued her education in the US, and having a Brazilian mother and an English father, the Freeman, in a sense, represents the international expansion of the brand’s reach today.
Granado has witnessed impressive growth within the past four years, largely driven by its international expansion efforts.
In 2020, a booming year for the broader fragrance industry, Granado garnered an annual net revenue of R$617 million (US$113.8 million), and last year, it surpassed R$1 billion in net sales (US$243.2 million).
Today, Granado has 94 permanent bricks-and-mortar locations in Brazil, three in Paris, two in London, one in Lisbon, and one in New York.
It also has three pop-up shops currently operating in Miami, Florida, Cascais, Portugal, and at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, England.
In addition to its own shops, Granado is stocked by a mix of international retailers including Harvey Nichols, Liberty, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The post Granado’s 154-year journey to bringing Brazilian fragrance to the world appeared first on Inside Retail Australia.
