LONDON, Jan. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) has announced the launch of a new partnership with Rappi, an on-demand delivery service. In the initial pilot more than 100 Avon products will be available for two-hour delivery through selected Avon Representatives to customers in Sao Paulo in Brazil, and Bogota and Medellin in Colombia.
The partnership with Rappi will enable Avon Representatives in the pilot group to deliver a rapid, high-quality and responsive experience to customers in Brazil, Avon's largest market and one of the biggest beauty markets in the world. Consumers can order online with a two-hour fulfilment option, thereby allowing Avon's Representatives to provide a personal, high-quality and differentiated customer experience to their communities.
Rappi has over one million subscribers in Brazil, and a growing presence across South America. The pilot service is expected to expand to other cities within Brazil and to major cities in Argentina, Chile and Mexico during the first half of 2019.
Jose Vicente Marino, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Avon Brazil said: "We're delighted to be trialing this partnership with Rappi to provide a really easy way for our top-selling Representatives to serve their customers better and faster. It isn't just a delivery solution but potentially a whole new approach to connect with consumers. We look forward to seeing the results as the pilot expands."
The partnership represents one element of the transformation plan to 'Open Up Avon' by improving access to Avon products for customers anywhere, anytime. With a new focus on transforming and expanding the e-commerce experience for its customers, Avon is becoming a digital-first, fast-beauty brand to respond to changing demand from customers looking for faster access to new beauty products.
Jan Zijderveld, Avon Chief Executive Officer, said: "Today's announcement is an exciting step in our efforts to open up Avon to new strategic partnerships to better serve our customers, support our Representatives and grow our business. We expect to scale this and similar delivery services to meet the current and future expectations of our Representatives and their customers. This is just one example of how we're transforming Avon, and we aim to make similar services available far more widely in 2019."
ABOUT AVON
Avon is the Company that for 130 years has proudly stood for beauty, innovation, optimism and, above all, for women. Avon products include well-recognized and beloved brands such as ANEW, Avon Color, Avon Care, Skin-So-Soft, and Advance Techniques sold through approximately 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com
ABOUT RAPPI
Rappi is a mega high growth, Series C, consumer tech startup looking to be the everything store of Latin America. Rappi is a marketplace that connects users who want to purchase prepared foods, groceries, clothes, cosmetics and virtually anything with independent contractors who can fulfill those needs. Rappi already operates in Colombia, México, Brazil, Argentina & Chile and is looking to grow rapidly across South America. More information can be found at www.rappi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to delivery services and new strategic partnerships. Because forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility of business disruption, competitive uncertainties, and general economic and business conditions in Avon's markets as well as the other risks detailed in Avon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Avon undertakes no obligation to update any statements in this press release for changes that happen after the date of this release.
