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Bettina Cosmetics launches $1M expansion across Florida

Orlando, FL — Puerto Rican make-up manufacturer, Bettina Cosmetics, is introducing its line of 50 colorful nail polishes to 602 Walgreens stores across Florida, with an estimated investment of close to $1 million to expand its presence in the Sunshine State.

During a virtual press conference in this Central Florida town, Bettina Mercado, president of Bettina Cosmetics, said the major expansion plan was developed in response to the increase in demand for the product line during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is already available in some stores across the state.

She explained the investment includes the acquisition of a special machine and technology to create a unique line of nail polishes with their names featured on the product and the opportunity to customize them. The strategy also includes establishing an office and distribution center in Miami.

“It’s with great pride and excitement that we announce that thanks to our partnership with Walgreens, our nail polishes are now available at 738 points of sale throughout the state of Florida,” Mercado said. “This expansion into a new market was made possible after an exponential increase of nail polish sales during the pandemic,” she said.

The Bettina brand is not new to Florida. Since 2015, the products have been available at Navarro pharmacies in Miami. This chain has 28 stores in South Florida. Apart from nail polishes, the stores have other Bettina-branded products available. 

In addition to Navarro, the brand can also be found in 108 Walmart stores in Tampa, Miami, and Central Florida. 

However, an exponential growth in sales of nail polish — which are made in Puerto Rico — was seen during the quarantine, prompting the expansion into Walgreens. Since beauty salons were closed, women began to buy a variety of nail polishes to spend quality time with their families during the social isolation period, the executive said.

Mercado, who runs the family business established in Puerto Rico by her parents Julia and Victor Mercado in 1963, announced that this significant step responds to the potential growth in Florida for its beauty products.

“Bettina has a face, and I hope to reach the consumers how I am. As a mentor, one-on-one and through that contact with everyone. I like to read them on social media,” Mercado added.

‘Bettina rewards your Courage’
The female-owned Bettina Cosmetics company also seeks to empower Latina women entrepreneurs, especially those who have overcome these challenging times, she said.

The product expansion is coupled with the “Bettina Premia tu Valor” (“Bettina rewards your Courage”) social initiative designed to recognize and support Latinas in Florida with inspiring stories of entrepreneurship during the pandemic.  

“When my family gave me the opportunity to take over this company, which has been a family business for six decades, I had a successful acting career in New York,” said Mercado.

“However, I took a chance and embraced this project and we’ve already seen the fruits of our effort. In the same way, we want to recognize other stories of women who have successfully taken that leap. Their testimonies will help inspire others and with it, boost the economy” said Mercado.

The initiative will run through Dec. 16, choosing five winners who will be honored with a designated nail polish color with their company name. All proceeds generated from these nail polish sales will go to the entrepreneurs. Their story will also be featured as a testimony of business success. 

To participate, the entrepreneurs must post a photo of themselves and their success story on Instagram or Facebook tagging @bettinacosmeticsusa, @bettinacosmettics using the hashtag #BettinaCosmetics.

Bettina arrived in Florida with 50 colors – from classic pinks, reds, and nudes, to the modern and daring neons – with the idea of introducing new colors according to the seasons of the year. Today, Bettina’s nail polish line has more than 145 colors. 

“If there is something that characterizes Hispanic women, it’s that they like to accentuate their natural beauty at all times. We always like to be beautiful,” said Mercado.

“With Bettina Cosmetics, we want Latina women to have nail polish options beyond the traditional ones and to offer colors that match their skin color and mood,” she said. 

Mercado added that the company is working on new specialized skincare products that are expected to be ready to launch in 2021. 

Author Details
Author Details
With almost 20 years of experience in the world of communications and the digital world, Cecilia Figueroa is a Multimedia Journalist for several media outlets in Florida, Puerto Rico and other countries. She has worked producing bilingual (English and Spanish) content for traditional and digital media.
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