George Korres, just eight years old, starts playing with ingredients and ...
pharmacy - owned by Mr. Tzivanides - where he first begins mixing natural
pharmacy.
George Korres, just eight years old, starts playing with ingredients and products behind his mother’s pharmacy counter. He also creates his own display areas, places products on stands and joins in for the annual inventory. One afternoon he announces that when he grows up, he will make his own face creams. His mother and a Swiss cosmetic brand sales representative who happens to be at the pharmacy during the grand announcement smile.
1973
While still a pharmacology student, George starts working at Athens’ oldest homeopathic pharmacy - owned by Mr. Tzivanides - where he first begins mixing natural pharmacy ingredients to create herbal preparations, natural remedies and, eventually, cosmetic products.
1988
George sets up an exemplary homeopathic laboratory at the pharmacy, based on international lab standards. Led by the pharmacy heritage, his deep knowledge and understanding of over 3,000 herbal remedies, and his passion for a more natural approach, George starts developing formulas that are first tested on his own friends.
1992
KORRES is born. The brand’s simple philosophy is rooted in the use of natural and / or certified organic ingredients of the highest quality; skin and environmentally friendly products with clinicallytested efficacy; and products that are affordable for everyday use, yet of interesting aesthetics that can ‘inspire & make us happy’. The first KORRES product is an aromatic herbal syrup with honey and aniseed, a recipe inspired by ‘rakomelon’, a warming spirit-withhoney concoction, which George’s grandfather used to make in his hometown on the island of Naxos.
1996 KORRES Wild Rose 24-Hour Cream, the brand’s first global innovation and first ever skincare product, is launched. It goes on to become a global best-seller.
An American buyer spots KORRES products in a pharmacy while on holiday on the island of Crete and calls George Korres asking to be the first to import them to the US. KORRES products’ international journey begins.
1999
The beauty buyer for Harvey Nichols, London, spots KORRES in New York, and immediately places an order for the store’s newly created Beyond Beauty section, which features niche cosmetics brands from around the world. A number of partnerships with the most prestigious department stores in Britain and France ‘including Selfridges, Harrods, Liberty’s, Bon Marche and Galleries Lafayette’ follow. Although not part of the original brand strategy, this domino effect spreads KORRES products to most parts of the world. At the same time, the portfolio expands with the launch of face, body and hair care products free of PARABENS, SILICONES, MINERAL OIL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL.
2000
At the first KORRES store opening abroad, in London’s Chelsea, British guests drink raki while tasting traditional delicacies made by George’s mother. The opening party is disrupted when the raki boiling at the back of the store catches fire. The guests think it’s a stunt and start clapping.
2002
Inspired by the long-lived tradition of applying yoghurt to sunburned skin, KORRES Yoghurt Cooling Gel becomes the brand’s second global innovation. After three years in development, KORRES Yoghurt Cooling Gel is the first cosmetic worldwide based on edible yoghurt and becomes an instant international hit, selling over 1,000 pieces per day that summer and every summer since. It is one of the brand’s all-time best-sellers. KORRES forges a relationship with the Mastiha Growers Association on the island of Chios, the first of many ethical cooperations with local farmers aimed at promoting precious indigenous herbs.
2003 In late 2003, George Korres is awarded the Innovation and Business Development Award by Greece’s Head of State.
Two new stores open in Barcelona and KORRES goes from cult brand to breakthrough in the US market thanks to the Sephora network.In the same year, based on the NOBELawarded discovery of the proteasome [ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation], the KORRES Research & Development Lab, in partnership with the National Hellenic Research Foundation and the University of Athens, begins primary research on Proteasome & Human Ageing, focusing on enhancing the proteasome function with natural antioxidants.
2004
KORRES products hit shelves in Asia, starting in Japan and China. Later in the year, KORRES COLOUR launches, bringing the brand’s skincare and efficacy philosophy to a make-up line with natural active extracts. KORRES is ranked among Europe’s 500 highest developing companies by Entrepreneurs for Growth Association.
2006
The year kicks off with the team’s relocation to its new headquarters in Inofita, on the outskirts of Athens. KORRES stores open in New York, Paris, Shanghai, Madrid, Vienna and Geneva, while the Greek Association of Pharmacists honours George Korres for his contribution to Greek trade and business development. In March, KORRES is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange and in November, George Korres is invited to open the first-of-itskind international Natural Beauty Summit held in Paris.
2007
Fulfilling a long-term vision of exploring and promoting the beneficial activity of the country’s unique, native plants, a mapping of the Greek flora is completed in partnership with the Laboratory of Organic Farming of the Agricultural School of Athens. That includes evaluation of ideal farming conditions for each herb taking into account the climate conditions, soil requirements, plant propagation techniques. This vision also comes to life through scientific research on the properties of herbs as well as the brand’s cooperations with local farmers - teaching, supporting and incentivizing them through contractual farming – and finally developing an exemplary, first-for-Greece, herbal extraction unit. Key to the KORRES vision are ethical, environmental and social programmes that support local communities and endangered plants, while also promoting the production of Greek, organic active extracts of superior quality.
KORRES is awarded as the World’s Most Innovative Brand by International Cosmetic News and the KORRES New York flagship store in SoHo is awarded first prize at the Retail Renovation Competition. The brand launches its Formula Facts initiative to communicate in an honest, transparent, and easy to comprehend way, the natural percentage of each formula, as well as the ingredients that are selected and those that are avoided. A daring and novel step within the industry, the Formula Facts panel is positively received by consumers, beauty experts and editors alike. Sephora US uses the Formula Facts panel as a benchmark for assessing all of the natural cosmetic brands that have a presence in its network.
2008 In December, the first ever KORRES fragrance launches. George Korres works closely with the world best perfume houses ‘in Tokyo, Geneva and Gras’ on three unique formulations to best represent the brand’s mood through scent.
After five years of primary research on Proteasome & Human Ageing, KORRES presents its third global innovation, the first natural antiageing line to achieve higher scores on all clinical tests compared to the market’s best-selling conventional antiageing creams. A brand milestone, the Quercetin & Oak line blows apart the theory that only conventional agedefying creams work and proves that nature’s chemistry can be stronger than man-made.
2009
American ELLE votes KORRES Quercetin & Oak Antiageing & Antiwrinkle Night Cream one of the World’s Best Beauty Products in its ‘Genius Awards’, while American Marie Claire hails the day cream as one of ‘25 Miracle Beauty Products That Will Change Your Life’. The European Union grants KORRES funding for a four-year study of the antioxidant, antigeing and sun-protection activity of over 3,600 natural antioxidant extracts. [From Biodiversity to Chemodiversity: Novel Plant Produced Compounds with Agrochemical and Cosmetic Ιnterest, AGROCOS]. Executed in cooperation with eight international university and research centres, the study will be completed by 2014.
2010 The AGROCOS study supports the KORRES goals of developing innovative and clinically effective skincare products based on natural, active ingredients; promoting research of natural ingredients in relation to skin biochemistry; projecting the benefits of unique Greek flora through cooperations with local farmers; and producing proprietary high value organic extracts.
As KORRES turns 15, George Korres revisits his grandfather’s classic recipe, this time based on aromatic herbs from the island of Naxos, and introduces a limited edition rakomelon, celebrating the short journey of a Greek, pharmacy skincare brand with its fellow ‘travelers’: friends, colleagues and pharmacists. A unique range of vitamins and organic Greek herbs, based on the cooperations with the local farmers is launched.
2011
Global Strategy : Structure, Focus & Creation Launch of BLACK PINE
2012
WORLD
GLOBAL PRESENCE KORRES AT THE ELITE STORES OF THE WORLD 32 Countries Greece, UK, Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Russia Cyprus, USA, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, China, Korea, Japan, Australia
UK Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Selfridges, John Lewis, Fenwicks, Heal’s,Oliver Bonas , Jarrods GERMANY Quartier 206, KaDeWe, Apropos, Alsterhaus, Harald Lubner ITALY Coin SPAIN El Corte Ingles (27 POS), Selected Pharmacies FRANCE & ANDORRA Le Bon Marché, Sephora, Le Printemps AUSTRIA Nägele & Strubell SWITZERLAND Globus, Schminkbar, Hyazinth BELGIUM & LUXEMBURG Selected Pharmacies nationwide (250 POS) FINLAND Stockman CYPRUS Debenhams, Selected Pharmacies nationwide RUSSIA Selected points of sale (perfumeries) JAPAN Isetan
Vilnius department store, Lithuania
26 Korres SIS Beijing Sogo SIS, China
KORRES STORES LOCATIONS
GREECE
ATHENS ATTICA [2] / ATHENS AIRPORT [2] / THESSALONIKI
US
NEW YORK- SOHO
SPAIN
BARCELONA / MADRID/ VALENCIA
FINLAND
HELSINKI
GERMANY
FRANKFURT/ KASSEL
FRANCE
PARIS
CZECH REPUBLIC
PRAGUE
SLOVAKIA
BRATISLAVA
RUSSIA
MOSCOW, ST. PETERSBURG
CYPRUS
NICOSIA
UAE
DUBAI
CHINA
BEIJING/ SHENYANG
SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE
KOREA
OUR HEART
Herbs
Co-operations
Research
Organic Extractions
HERBS & COOPERATIONS
Kind of Cultivation
Proposed Areas for Cultivation
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Evros, Evia
Almond tree (Prunus amygdalus dulcis)
Volos
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Αgrinio (Αg. Ιoannis Rigana)
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Larissa, Samos
Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Thesprotia
Εchinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Thessaloniki, Evros
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Samos, Evia
Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
Thessaloniki, Αgrinio
Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa)
Κarpenisi, Εvia, Αrkadia
Quince (Pyrus cydonia)
Τripoli, Εvia, Pieria
Bitter orange tree(Citrus aurantium)
Aitoloakarnania (Κalivia), Egio
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Aitoloakarnania
Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
Aitoloakarnania, Samos
Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis)
Αgrinio, Kefalonia, Crete
Grape shrub (Vitis vinifera)
Κorinthos (Νemea), Samos, Kefalonia
Fig
Κalamata, Evia
(Ficus carica)
Wild rose (Rosa canina)
Volos (Roussos), Larissa
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Evia, Thesprotia (Faskomilia)
CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF ORGANIC FARMERS
RESEARCH RESULTS ( WITH THE AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL OF ATHENS)
LOCAL COMMUNITIES SUPPORT/ SPECIALLY TO THOSE HAVING HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT
PROTECTION OF HERBS THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION
CONSERVING NATIVE POPULATIONS
SUPPLIER’S EVALUATION FORM The cultivated areas as well as the kinds of agricultural products Cultivator’s database Cultivation history related to the organic farming process applied Certification status of each step of cultivation Laboratory analysis Area’s special characteristics where a cultivation takes place
TRAINING, ADVISORY SUPPORT Risk assessment due to contamination from vicinal non organic cultivation Data collection of current climate conditions Description of the weed-killing process Description of plant protection process Μacroscopic examination of products
CONTRACT AGRICULTURE / CO-OPERATION GUARANTEE
QUALITY GUARANTEE OF USED HERBS
CHIOS MASTIHA GROWERS ASSOCIATION: 4,500 families reside on the island and cultivate this unique, indigenous product KROKOS KOZANIS COOPERATIVE: 1500 families from 20 villages around the area of Kozani AGRINIO AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE OF AROMATIC HERBS : A new dynamic team of producers SIKIKI / ΚΑLAMATA: The national Fig tree farmers organization established in 1953 SAMOS CO-OPERATIVE: The co-operative produces the renowned ‘Samos’ wine of the Moschato variety ROBOLA AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE: The Robola variety is cultivated exclusively on the island of Kefalonia, and a large part of the island’s vineyards have now been certified organic. AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVES UNION OF AIGIALIA: The production plant is the first Greek plant to be certified organic. Aigialia farmers supply us with aromatic citrus flower buds. AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL: The institute grows Echinacea purpurea on our behalf, offering trainees the opportunity to follow all stages of organic farming ORGANIC CHESTNUT TREE FARMERS/ ARCADIA: one of a few surviving chestnut tree cultivations TYRINTHA & AGIA PRISON FARMS: Inmates are taught organic farming and cultivate herbs on our behalf which apart from being a future professional development opportunity, it also supports them financially during their detention period.
KETHEA-ITHAKI / THESSALONIKI: Is a non-profit organisation for substance dependent patients. It offers alternative educational and training programmes, one of which is a Farm with over a hundred acres of fully certified organic field crops. Our co-operation, involves the cultivation of the Achillea plant Ms MARIA KOMINI, THESPROTIA / A farmer from Thesprotia who collects high quality self- sown aromatic plants, abiding to all the necessary procedures for the sustainability of the local flora. The sage collected, comes from the region of Faskomilia which is how sage is called in Greece Mr PHOTIS TSIAGKALIS, THESSALIA / WILD ROSE: chairman of the Thessalia Organic Farmers Association, who supplies us with organic wild roses from his certified field crops. Mr GEORGE ERELIADES / AROMATIC PLANTS: a farmer in Komotini who has been cultivating Aromatic plants since the 1970s, and has developed his own production unit Ms GEORGIA KLERONOMOU / THYME / ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM: Ms Kleronomou has been farming organic aromatic plants for years in the island of Samos, while also operating an essential oil production unit. Our partnership with Ms Kleronomou does not confine just to the supply of Thyme and Artemisia, but extends to various organically farmed herbs that we use in our certified organic Materia Herba tea blends.
EXTRACTIONS
RESEARCH
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES
The scientific programs that Korres has prompt in collaboration with University of Athens and European Scientific Centers and have been honored according to the procedure competitive EU funding: 1.From Biodiversity to Chemodiversity: Novel Plant Produced Compounds with Agrochemical and Cosmetic interest -University of Athens Department of Pharmacognosy – University of Basel - BASFΚorres – University of Panama – Βruker - CNSR (Research Institute in France), CSIR (Research Institute in S. Africa) Program AGROCOS 2.Development of a process to use agricultural by-products for the production of innovative cosmetic products with action: antiageing- firming-UV protection, University of Athens – National Research Institute – Κorres 3.Study of natural sources for the regulation of melanogenesis for the development of whitening products, 4 Scientific laboratories (University of Athens, University of Basel, Foreign Institute for the biological action determination) and 3 companies ( Korres, Induchem, company that produces feedstock for pharmaceutical industry)
We create new formulas based on 4 groups of natural active components: Herbs from Greek Flora: Thyme, Sage, Laurel, Olive, Μastic etc Pharmaceutical herbs: Calendula, Echinacea, Hyperium, Evening Primrose etc Edible starting materials like yoghurt, thyme honey Natural starting materials with unique properties from all over the world
We create new formulas avoiding and replacing chemical substances, like: mineral oils, silicones, propylene glycol, parabens, ethanolamines etc
OUR PRODUCTS DO NOT CONTAIN:
DISADVANTAGES
REPLACED WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS:
ADVANTAGES
Parabens
Preservatives everyone is overexposed to
Organic acids, food preservatives
Natural, mild, safe
Mineral oil and derivatives
Synthetics, which clog skin pores
Excellent quality natural oils
Exceptional compatibility, does not clog pores, moisturising properties
Silicones
Synthetic,non bio-degradable which clog the pores, burden hair
Combination of dry vegetable oils
Exceptional compatibility, does not clog pores, does not burden hair, moisturising properties
Propylene glycol
Solvent responsible for allergies
Butylene glycol
High compatibility, friendly to the skin
Ethanolamines
Regulate pH responsible for allergies, irritations
Amino acid L-arginin
High compatibility, moisturising properties
Synthetic vitamin Ε (D- and Ltocopherol)
Only D-tocopherol has proven anti-oxidant action
Natural vitamin Ε (D-tocopherol)
Has a double anti-oxidant action
Non-standardised natural extracts
Unstable effectiveness
Active natural extracts
Maximum and constant effectiveness
ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION, ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION, ECOCERT CERTIFICATION
PRODUCTION
TO SERVE OR TO CREATE
TO CREATE WE PRODUCE PRODUCTS WE ARE PROUD OF IN SOME CASES WE LOVE TO SURPRISE PROPOSAL TO THE CONSUMER / a greek saying: “ MPROS STA KALI TI EINAI O PONOS “
WE HAVE NEVER DONE A MARKET RESEARCH THE COMPETITION ANALYSIS DOES NOT DEFINE THE PRODUCT CREATION IT IS OUR TASTE, THAT HAPPENS TO BE ACCEPTED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE
TO CREATE WE WHERE BORN TO CREATE / WE ARE LEARNING TO SERVE WE CREATE BY INSTINCT / WE TRY TO SERVE BY THE BOOK TRAINNERS ON CREATION / TRAINNEES ON SERVICE
OUR HEART
Herbs
Co-operations
Research
Organic Extractions
