SOPHIM, an international player serving green and innovative cosmetics
Founded in 1996 and based in Peyruis (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France), SOPHIM is a company specialized in the manufacturing of natural ingredients for the cosmetics industry, distributed in more than 60 countries. With operations in France, Spain, and Asia, this family-owned company supports its clients in their transition toward greater naturalness by offering ingredients that are primarily natural in origin, renewable, and cost-competitive.
Beyond passing trends, SOPHIM has, since its creation, chosen a path of green and sustainable cosmetics. One of its flagship products, PHYTOSQUALAN, is a 100% plant-derived squalane made from olives. Developed in the company’s R&D laboratory, its production follows circular economy principles by valorizing olive fatty acids, a previously underutilized raw material, with SOPHIM prioritizing local sourcing to reduce its carbon footprint.
As a result, SOPHIM has established itself as a key partner in the manufacture of innovative cosmetic products of natural origin, the majority of which are approved under the COSMOS certification.
€20M in funding to become a global leader in its market
To accelerate its growth, SOPHIM has completed a €20 million funding round, with the ambition of scaling from a small/medium-sized enterprise to a mid-sized company. As the sole shareholder in this funding round among financial partners, Smalt Capital reaffirms its confidence in the company, which it has supported since 2014 and whose values it shares.
This nearly 10-year collaboration illustrates the long-term, proximity-based investment approach that defines the asset management firm. As a committed investor fully involved in the economic and social development of its territory, Smalt Capital believes that companies like SOPHIM, which integrate ESG criteria into their development strategy, are those with the strongest growth prospects.
“We have found in Smalt Capital a trusted partner who shares our values and supports our ambitions,” says Jacques Margnat, President of SOPHIM. “This investment will allow us to double our production capacity across our two industrial sites, in order to meet strong demand for our products, particularly internationally.”
“In our fast-growing environment, sustainable development must remain a priority,” adds Alexis Margnat, Managing Director of SOPHIM. “Eco-responsibility is at the heart of our concerns and has always been a key element in shaping our corporate project.”
“We are proud to continue the journey with SOPHIM,” says Julien Jorge, fund manager at Smalt Capital. “Beyond purely financial criteria, the human, collective, and environmental dimensions play a central role in SOPHIM’s corporate culture. We are confident in the company’s ability to leverage its competitive advantages to establish itself as a leader in its field.”