Primor: The ambition to be a leading group in Portugal

The first steps in the expansion of the Spanish Primor brand in Portugal were positive and above expectations, despite the context in which the shops opened. This is the balance that the owner and CEO, Juan Ricardo Hidalgo, makes of the internationalisation, which includes the opening of 30 spaces in 2021.

He sees Portugal as a country that, in recent years, has “focused on completely modernising itself, a reform in many ways that has placed it in excellent positions in international rankings”. In addition, “Portugal has always been a natural destination for Spanish companies”.

These are factors that have determined Primor’s expansion, driven by the fact that among its challenges to “continue to maintain leadership in the Spanish market” is that of internationalisation. “Primor’s goal is to reach every home and make beauty accessible to everyone,” he says.

According to Juan Hidalgo, the company has grown in recent years to become the perfumery with the largest market share: “We are leaders in our segment, with a market share of 8% (of the entire Consumer Hygiene – beauty sector) and 20% of the perfumery sector (source Nielsen 21 Sept.)”. He also emphasises that last October Primor won Spain’s Best Perfumery of the Year award, and comments: “Consumers trust the quality of our products at unbeatable prices.”

And what sets the brand apart: the CEO replies that success is based on three fundamental pillars – low prices, large facilities and the strength of the digital channel. And he points out that, in addition to luxury brands, Primor has more than 50,000 references of items that – he says – “offer great value for money”. “In addition, our shops are located both on the streets and in the main shopping centres in Spain and Portugal. The innovative nature of the facilities and the search for new brands and concepts are also key to the company’s good positioning. We also work on the basis of an efficient omnichannel approach and 360 communication, which puts the customer above all else”, he emphasises.

It was in January 2020 that the first shop in Portugal opened, in the UBBO shopping centre. With a “net result was positive despite the restrictions derived from the pandemic”. “In this sense, constancy and effort were determining factors,” he says.

The second shop opened this year, in Porto, having been presented as the largest. And, according to the entrepreneur, all expectations were exceeded, with this space representing “an important step towards consolidating Primor as a leading group in the distribution of perfumery and cosmetics in Portugal”.

Both are located in shopping centres, corresponding to a commitment to be present in “unique and strategic enclaves”. Juan Hidalgo believes that shopping centres have the great advantage of being able to attract and retain large numbers of people, representing a very attractive ecosystem for consumers. But Primor wants to “cover all fronts”, so it will also open high street shops in Portugal, as it does in Spain.

E-commerce is also vital, having reached “extremely high levels”. Online transactions already account for a quarter of total sales. The brand aims to correspond to both traditional customers and our generations, who are used to shopping via computer or mobile phone.