The company is setting up a new diversified business unit under Biocos’ umbrella, Vente, which will open its first store in Bangkok in the second quarter of this year and look into expanding in the AECover the next two years, starting in Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos.

“Branded retail businesses selling cosmetics, including skincare |and makeup, will be the flagships of our expansion into the region, and will be followed by Biocos’ other |business units, especially in beauty and health services,” said Sirium, |who owns 20 per cent of Biocos Group.

Benrisa Bunpluk, marketing director of Biocos Group, said about five Vente stores were expected to be opened in the Kingdom this year. The stores will sell skincare and makeup products, with an initial line-up of between 50 and 70 different items.

“Similarly to medical services, Thailand’s beauty services have been accepted by consumers in the region, thanks to their quality cosmetic products and ingredients,” she said.

She said the company had been approached by potential partners in some countries in the AEC.

“We believe that within five years, contributions from overseas business will exceed domestic revenue,” she said.

The group recently opened Biocos Education at its headquarters in Prachaniwet Road in Bangkok as a training centre for beauty personnel, in order to supply staff to the beauty and health-service businesses within the group as well as to the general public.

Benrisa said Biocos Group posted revenue of about Bt1 billion last |year, up by 5-7 per cent over 2014. |The company expects to grow by about 10 per cent this year.

“About 50 per cent of total revenue is from our Slimming Plus body-treatment business. Slimming Plus has 20 body-treatment centres in the Kingdom with more than 60,000 active customers in total,” she said.

This year, competition in the beauty-treatment business is expected to intensify with more offerings for customers from beauty clinics and centres.

Both big and small operators |will roll out special campaigns |to maintain their client bases |and attract new customers. The|beauty-treatment business in Thailand is expected to expand |to a value of about Bt30 billion this year. The market grows every year and the beauty and health business is still among three rising star businesses for the past six years since 2010.