The increasing standard of living in China has enabled more people to care for their health and beauty, resulting in a big market demand for cosmetics and beauty care products, said Cai Yanping, the founder of NB Group.

"People's passion for beauty here is spreading from metropolitans to remote cities, and the quality cosmetics and services suitable for Chinese skin have a ready market on the mainland," said Cai.

The NB Group has been in the Chinese mainland market for eight years since Cai invested 4.2 million yuan (US$506,000) to build a cosmetic plant and provide beauty care services in Shanghai in 1992.

At present, the company, with a total investment of nearly US$30 million, embraces more than 1,000 outlets on the mainland.

In an effort to strengthen its presence in big cities, NB Group inaugurated its Chinese mainland headquarters in Shanghai last week.

Inside the building, the Natural Beauty Vanity Club, which includes beauty care, cosmeto-clinics, and body shaping spa all in one, has become one of the biggest spa Asia.

Cai said that the company will establish beauty care centres in Beijing and Guangzhou next year.

"There is a steady demand for high-level beauty care facilities in China's big cities," said Cai.

Based on her success in metropolitan areas, Cai ambitiously plans to expand her company's penetration in the country's inland cities.

NB Group plans to open more than 10,000 beauty care outlets across the country in the next five years.

The company launched a website, nblife.com, in co-operation with Founder Uni-tech Group to provide beauty care information and future e-commerce business.

After gaining a deep understanding of the Chinese mainland in the past eight years, Cai is now seeking ways to contribute to society through charity donations and professional training.

In Shanghai last week, Cai donated 1 million yuan (US$120,480) to the Shanghai Charity Foundation and opened a Yanping Cai Charity and Education account.

The company has provided training programmes for more than 10,000 persons, of whom half were laid-off women workers.

(Business Weekly)