What Refan does

Refan is an eco-perfumery company that produces alternative perfumes inspired by international fragrances, niche and author perfumes, and a portfolio of natural dermocosmetics and artisanal soaps. Founded approximately 30 years ago (1994) by husband-and-wife team Reni and Stefan in Bulgaria's Rose Valley, the company develops fragrances in its own laboratories from a proprietary alcohol base and uses patented ampoules (ampolle brevettate) for at-the-tap dispensing, alongside an ECOBOOST processing method that compresses aromatic material volume by roughly 10x. The portfolio spans more than 20 cosmetic lines (hyaluronic acid, snail mucin, tea tree, olive, rose variants) plus INTENSE high-concentration perfumes (25–30% aromatic concentration) and gift sets, with retail prices ranging from €6 to €35 per item.

Refan operates a multi-channel go-to-market. The primary growth engine is a four-tier franchise program in Italy (Authorized Reseller €1,260 + VAT, Profumeria Smart €5,500 + VAT, Medium Business €14,900 + VAT, Official Store €18,900 + VAT), with no royalties, no entry fees, and no minimum order requirements. This is complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce via refanstore.it, a network of 40+ Italian monobrand stores, 500+ global retailers, and brand-level digital marketing through Facebook, Instagram, and an editorial blog. The Italian market is distributed by F.LLI FELICIONI di Felicioni Cristiano & C. S.N.C., a partnership headquartered in Floriano di Campli (TE), while the parent operations and manufacturing remain in Bulgaria. The company holds ISO 14001:2005, ISO 22716:2007, BS OHSAS 18001:2007, EN ISO 9001:2008, and GMP certifications, and has accumulated 156 national and international recognitions over its history.

Name

Refan

Legal name

F.LLI FELICIONI di Felicioni Cristiano & C. S.N.C.

Website

https://refanstore.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Refan is a Bulgarian-founded eco-perfumery company producing alternative perfumes, natural dermocosmetics, and soaps, distributed in Italy through a four-tier franchise model, 40+ monobrand stores, and DTC e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Fragrances and Cosmetics

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex) (CRABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Natural & Clean Fragrance (CRABADAG), Natural, Organic & Clean Beauty Distribution (CRAOAEAM)

Keywords

• Alternative perfumery
• Natural cosmetics
• Tap perfume dispensers
• Perfumery franchising
• Herbal soaps

Headquarters

HQ city

Teramo

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Perfumes: Refan generates revenue through sale of alternative perfumes (inspired by international brands), niche perfumes, and author's collections. Perfumes are sold in various sizes (30ml, 50ml, 100ml) with aromatic concentration ranging from 16-18% for bulk perfumes, up to 25-30% for INTENSE and author's collections. Products sold through franchise stores, authorized retailers, and e-commerce.
2. Product Sales - Cosmetics and Soaps: Sale of natural dermocosmetics including body creams, face creams, serums, shower gels, shampoos, and artisanal soaps. Products are sold through franchise stores, authorized retailers, and the e-commerce platform.
3. Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise packages ranging from €1,260 + IVA (Authorized Reseller) to €18,900 + IVA (Official Store), including initial supply of products, furniture, and training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Refan manufactures and distributes perfumes, natural dermocosmetics, and herbal soaps. Its core range includes alternative perfumes (freely inspired by international fragrance brands), niche perfumes, author's perfumes, and INTENSE high-concentration (25-30%) creations dispensed on demand through patented ampoules. The portfolio is completed by 20+ natural cosmetic lines (Hyaluronic Acid, Snail Mucin, Tea Tree, Olive, Rose, etc.), body/face/hair care, gift sets, and a four-tier franchise system for entrepreneurs opening eco-perfumery boutiques.

Product overview

Refan is an eco-perfumery company offering a diverse portfolio of products centered around perfumes and natural cosmetics. The core offerings include: (1) Profumeria - alternative perfumes inspired by international brands (Profumi Alternativi), niche perfumes (Profumi di Nicchia), and author perfumes (Profumi d'Autore), with INTENSE concentrations ranging 25-30%; (2) Linee Cosmetiche - over 20 natural dermocosmetics lines featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid, snail slime, aloe vera, tea tree, olive oil, and various rose extracts; (3) Natural soaps including Step to Nature herbal soaps (97% natural, triple-milled) and exclusive exfoliating soap-sponges; (4) Cosmetic products including body/facial/hair care; (5) Gift sets. Refan operates a franchise model offering four packages ranging from €1,260 to €18,900 + VAT for opening eco-perfumery stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Refan Profumeria: Alternative perfumes inspired by international fragrances, INTENSE creations, and author perfumes sold at the tap
• Linee Cosmetiche
• Step to Nature
• Refan's Rose
• Snail Perfection
• Tea Tree Line

Quantifiable outcome

• Products are certified with ISO 14001:2005, ISO 22716:2007, BS OHSAS 18001:2007, EN ISO 9001:2008, and GMP standards.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• La Fionda di Floriano (ASD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Refan supported the first National Sling Championship held in Campli (TE), organized by the association La Fionda di Floriano. The championship featured athletes with disabilities competing alongside other athletes, promoted by CIP (Comitato Italiano Paralimpico).
• MittatronminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2023Refan chose to support Mittatron, a non-profit association that assists women victims of violence throughout their physical and psychological journey toward freedom. This reflects Refan's commitment to social responsibility.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coty Inc. Coty is a global mass-market fragrance and beauty conglomerate that owns an extensive portfolio of designer-licensed fragrances, color cosmetics, and body care brands. Coty represents the kind of large-scale, IP-rich counterpart whose protected fragrance houses create both the inspiration target for Refan's 'inspired-by' products and a direct competitive threat in the same accessible fragrance price tier.
• Acqua di Parma: Acqua di Parma is an iconic Italian luxury fragrance house now owned by LVMH, selling fine fragrances, body care, and home fragrances through own-brand boutiques and department stores. It is comparable to Refan as a flagship example of Italian fine-fragrance positioning and 'Made in Italy' craftsmanship narrative, though operating at the opposite end of the price spectrum.
• L'Occitane en Provence: L'Occitane is a global natural beauty manufacturer-retailer with a portfolio spanning body care, fragrances, and soaps built on Provençal botanical heritage. Like Refan, it emphasizes natural ingredients, refillable bottles, and a multi-channel DTC + retail strategy, but operates at far greater scale, listed-parent governance, and broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Dr. Vranjes Firenze: Dr. Vranjes is an Italian heritage fragrance and home-fragrance brand from Florence competing in luxury perfumery, room fragrances, and diffusers. It is comparable to Refan as another Italian perfumery leveraging regional heritage and natural raw materials, though Dr. Vranjes focuses on the luxury segment with directly operated flagship retail rather than franchised boutique distribution.
• Santa Maria Novella: Santa Maria Novella is a historic Italian perfumery founded in Florence with a multi-century heritage in natural herbal essences, soaps, and fragrances sold through flagship boutiques. It shares Refan's Italian heritage-perfumery positioning and natural-ingredient ethos but operates primarily in the luxury tier via directly operated flagship stores rather than a franchise model.
• Kiko Milano: Kiko Milano is an Italian affordable cosmetics and fragrance retailer operating a large network of monobrand stores across Europe and a strong e-commerce channel. It shares Refan's Italian origin, monobrand-store model, and accessible price positioning but focuses on color cosmetics and trend-driven SKUs at much larger scale and broader international footprint.
• Wycon Cosmetics: Wycon is an Italian-affordable beauty brand operating an extensive network of monobrand stores and authorized resellers across Italy and Europe, with a portfolio spanning color cosmetics, fragrances, and body care. It is directly comparable to Refan on the Italian mass-affordable beauty segment, multi-channel store strategy, and presence in high-street mall locations, though focused more on color cosmetics than perfumery.

Direct peers

• Lush: Lush is a global handmade cosmetics retailer with a strong natural/eco-friendly positioning, refillable packaging, and a primarily company-owned retail store footprint. Compared to Refan, Lush shares the ethos of natural ingredients, cruelty-free certification, and a vertical retail model but operates at dramatically larger scale and with a wholly-owned store strategy rather than franchising.
• Yves Rocher: Yves Rocher is a French mass-market natural beauty brand built around botanical ingredients, affordable price points, and a large own-store + franchise retail network across Europe. It is highly comparable to Refan on accessible natural-beauty pricing, botanical positioning, and a store-based go-to-market model that has historically included franchise and reseller tiers.
• The Body Shop: The Body Shop is a heritage natural-beauty retailer built on ethically sourced, cruelty-free, refillable personal care products with a global multi-channel retail network. Its natural-ingredients positioning and broad portfolio of body care, soaps, and fragrances overlap directly with Refan's dermocosmetics, soap, and refillable fragrance offering, though The Body Shop operates at far greater scale and is now owned by a strategic acquirer (Aurelius).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/refanitalia
• Instagraminstagram.com/refan.italia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refan-italia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refan