Our core operations are in Australia and China.
Comparable data of the Company’s primary markets is tabled below.

Over The Counter (“OTC”) Healthcare

The global OTC healthcare market grew by approximately 8% in 2004 with total sales of US$105 billion. This growth was supported by increasing disposable incomes, growing health consciousness, demand for preventative health products, ageing populations and economic growth.

The largest incremental growth in 2004 came from China, which rose by 15% or US $455 million to US $4.6 billion. According to the World Health Organisation, China was the 7th largest OTC health market in 2005 and is expected to be the 5th largest market by 2010. Today there are over 137 million Chinese people aged over 60.

The Asia Pacific market is expected to be the world’s fastest growing market over the same period and overtake North America as the leading regional market. The Australian OTC market is estimated to have increased by 4% to be worth more than US$1.5 billion in 2004.

Vitamins and dietary supplements was the largest OTC health sector and in 2004 accounted for US $43.3 billion or 41% of global value sales, 58% or $32.6 billion of Asia-Pacific OTC sales and 73% of total OTC health sales in China. It is estimated that the vitamins and supplements sector accounted for over 86% of incremental OTC health market growth in 2004 in the Asia Pacific region, the world’s largest vitamin and dietary supplements market.

Sales of vitamins and dietary supplements increased by nearly 18% in Australia and by 17% in China in 2004. Continued growth in China is expected to be driven by increasing affluence, health awareness, an ageing population, and improved distribution through modern retail channels.

Beauty

In 2004, global sales of cosmetics and toiletries rose 9% to US$231 billion. Skincare maintained its position as the most valuable sector in global cosmetics and toiletries, accounting for 22% of total value sales and growing by 12% in 2004, driven by the continued development of value-added products. Skincare sales in China increased in lined with five-year compound annual growth of 16% to US $3.0 billion, underpinned by rising levels of consumer affluence.

According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the female population of China aged between 15 and 64 exceeds 420 million, which is larger than the combined total of Europe, the USA and Japan. In 2004, sales of cosmetics and toiletries grew in China by 8% to US$8.2 billion, supported by consumer affluence, improved retail distribution and a desire for high quality products. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for approximately 25% of global US dollar sales. Sales of cosmetics and toiletries in Australia rose by 0.5% to US$2.7 billion in 2004.

Several niche sectors, including baby care and sun care, witnessed above average value growth in 2004. The growing availability of cosmeceuticals – products containing active ingredients that claim to provide a clinical effect in addition to their traditional cosmetic function – will also boost sector sales. Demand for natural ingredients such as essential oils and plant or fruit extracts has risen dramatically in recent years as consumers increasingly opt for purity from nature over chemical solutions in skin care.

* Sources: The Economist: January 2006, Global Market Research 2006, Euromonitor 2005 and World Health Organisation