The beautifully packaged high-end soaps in exquisite wooden boxes. [Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

Innovation is a must

Statistics show that sales of soap products in China are expected to double to 200 billion yuan ($32 billion) by 2015 from 110 billion yuan in 2010. To cope with the trends, Shanghai Soap researched and developed a full line of facial soap products under the Bee & Flower sandalwood soap brand in 2009, including jasmine, rose and ginseng scented products. The twin pack facial soaps with fruity scents have enticed many consumers, and are quite popular among those in their 20s and 30s.

More innovation and development is underway, and Shanghai Soap is trying to develop a variety of products according to varied consumers’ needs, especially the younger generation's, says Lin.

A high-end sandalwood soap was launched in 2009. The flesh-colored soap was delicately presented in a hexagon-shaped wooden case carved with fine patterns. The round soap looks lovely, presented in an exquisite box carved with a beautiful decorative pattern and containing all natural ingredients, and has became a popular gift. This special piece of 130-gram Bee & Flower sandalwood soap with aromatherapy benefits retails for 298 yuan on the Internet.

"We only produce a limited number of the special soaps once each year, because of the long production period," says Lin.

It took about three months to make the soap, and ever since it launched, orders have streamed in.

Since 2010, 3,000 of these special soaps are produced each year, and many customers love to buy them as gifts for honored guests.