Client Success Story
Sans Soucis
Our client, Sans Soucis South Africa, represents the legacy of the renowned German skincare brand founded in 1939 by Walter Friedmann. Drawing on decades of innovation and the mineral-rich thermal waters of Baden-Baden, Sans Soucis is known for pioneering skincare breakthroughs — from introducing soluble collagen in the 1970s to developing the Repair Complex in the 1980s. Their local distributor, Melanie, shared how the brand first entered the South African market through personal connections, how strong supplier relationships have sustained their import journey, and how they’ve adapted to changing market conditions over the years.
1. Can you please share a bit of background information about your business?
The business was originally started by a German couple who immigrated to South Africa. The wife was a beautician and struggled to find the German cosmetic products she preferred to use in her salon. To solve this, they began importing those products for her own use — and soon realised there was a much bigger opportunity to distribute them to other beauty salons across the country.
2. Which countries do you export to or import from?
We import from Germany only.
3. When did you realize your business was ready for exporting/importing? What were the key indicators?
Right from the beginning in the early 1970s, the original owners started importing. They already knew the German suppliers because they had used the products before moving to South Africa, so a relationship was already in place. Bringing the products here not only solved a local need but also created an opportunity for the German company to expand its reach into Africa — they had never had a distributor on the continent before. To this day, we remain their only importers in Africa.
4. Can you share some tips for finding and researching international markets for export, or international suppliers for import? Where did you find your best leads?
Because we are in the cosmetic industry, we attend international cosmetic trade shows, and we also attend the local ones.
5. What was your biggest initial fear or concern about exporting/importing, and how did you address it?
I acquired the business after having worked for the company for 30 years. Over these years, I have witnessed the many obstacles facing importers. I have found it very daunting to take ownership of the company, and know that I am responsible for the income of my staff.
6. Did you encounter any unexpected obstacles, and how did you adapt?
Our biggest obstacle was definitely the COVID pandemic. Our products aren’t considered essential items, so we faced a lot of restrictions — and with beauty salons closed for nine months, many of our clients sadly went out of business. Around that time, we had also started importing another German brand, but because so many salons shut down, we couldn’t meet the minimum order quantities, and that opportunity fell away.
Before COVID, our products were marketed only to beauty salons, but after losing so many clients, we decided to open an online shop so that our products could reach the end users directly. We’ve also had to adapt to new import regulations that sometimes even the authorities weren’t clear on — there were always teething problems. And with ongoing port delays, we eventually had to start importing by air, which is far more expensive.
7. Did you attend trade shows or participate in international business development programs? If so, can you mention any that were helpful?
Yes, we have attended trade shows internationally.
8. What advice do you have for aspiring exporters or importers in South Africa?
Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. Use a good and reputable shipping agent who can advise you every step of the way. Use specialist companies to iron out problems. We tried for weeks to register a company representative ourselves before finally getting help from Import Export License.
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