Enjoying robust growth, homegrown beauty company HBC Inc. is aggressively expanding both here and abroad to serve soaring demand for beauty products even during an economic crunch.

Dr. Rosalinda Hortaleza, one of the founders of HBC Inc., told reporters during a roundtable discussion that they have registered 15 percent increase in sales revenues year to date with the same 196 total number of stores in 2008. With its 218 total number of stores this year, the company has already attained 19 percent growth in sales this year.

The company is also targeting 17 percent increase in sales revenues this year to P1.5 billion from P1.28 billion last year and net income of P30 million over P22 million in 2008.

By 2012, HBC is targeting a total of 500 stores of which 80 percent are located in the Philippines and the rest are branches abroad. There will be 40 new stores to be opened next year.

So far, the company has 19 foreign outlets in the Seafood City in California where they have 17 stores, Singapore, Middle East in Bahrain and Oman and in Australia before end this year.

At least two-thirds of their outlets would be on franchise arrangements saying this would be the fastest way for the company to expand especially in the Mindanao and Visayan regions.

“We are targeting the overseas Filipino workers for our franchising business because most of them would like to have their own small business after their contracts expired,” Hortaleza said.

For carts, the franchise cost is placed at P250,000 only including initial inventory; P450,000 for kiosks and P3 million to P3.5 million for full store outlet with 80 to 100 square meter space.