The maker of Heno de Pravia soaps is expanding its brand in the domestic market to increase its share in the annual P11-billion soap industry.

Perfumeria Espa?ola Corp., a joint venture company between Spanish perfume maker Perfumeria Gal S.A. and Chemical Industries of the Philippines Inc. controlled by the family of businessman Antonio Garcia, will appoint regional distributors next month.

?These are very good products and with the help of our distributors, we will be able to grow their sales,? said Deeda Garcia Verzosa, chief operating officer of Perfumeria Espa?ola.

Joy Rodriguez, sales and marketing manager of Perfumeria Espa?ola, said nine regional distributors were initially assigned in Mega Manila and the rest of Luzon. He said the company was still recruiting distributors for Visayas and Mindanao.

JDH Zuellig Inchcape Inc. used to be the exclusive distributor of Perfumeria Espa?ola.

Heno de Pravia, which means hay from the town of Pravia in Spain, was first manufactured in 1905. Verzosa said her company was reintroducing the brand in the Philippines as a premium soap, made from freshly boiled soap base.

She said while Heno de Pravia soaps are manufactured in the Philippines, samples of the product are sent to Spain to make sure that they pass the stringent European standards.

Perfumeria Espa?ola is selling four variants of Heno de Pravia bar soaps, which are locally manufactured. Other Heno de Pravia products in the market are roll-on deodorants and talcum powder. Roderick T. dela Cruz