At the helm of Zorah, a Quebec-based biocosmetics company she founded almost 20 years ago, Mélissa Harvey embodies social and ethical success. Sophie Ginoux spent an hour with this woman who inspires respect with her uncommon corporate longevity.
Ms. Harvey, how do you build a great company like yours? That's a big question! But I'd start with love, passion and vision. The Zorah story began with a desire to help, in fact. While carrying out a one-year assignment in Morocco for Oxfam, I had a pivotal encounter with Zoubida Charrouf, a plant chemistry researcher at Mohamed V University in Rabat renowned for her social commitment. In particular, she was responsible for setting up the first women's cooperatives to produce and market argan oil, whose cosmetic virtues she had discovered. When I asked her how I could encourage these Berber women, she said: "Sell argan oil in Canada. And so I did. I went to the Jean-Talon Market one weekend with my little bottles of argan oil... and sold it all, as well as meeting the biochemist who still works with me, 23 years later.
"We fired on all cylinders, taking part in two to three trade fairs a month, and getting support from the media, which helped put us on the map. "
With this new ally at my side, Zorah's vision gradually took shape. I wanted to support Moroccan cooperatives, but also to launch a range of natural, certified organic and fair-trade products, which would be able to rival, in terms of performance, the biggest brands like Dior or Clarins.
"I held on because Zorah is my baby, and the Berber women I work with in Morocco are my family. When you change lives the way Zorah does over there, it's precious."
It was a non-existent niche in Canada until then, and therefore a market to conquer. But we've worked hard to get to where we are, with over 1,000 points of sale in Canada, work for 5,000 Berber women, and collaborations with other cooperatives in Australia, Malaysia, India, Burkina Faso and Mali. And let's not forget our local businesses, since 60% of our products are made with Canadian ingredients.
Can you tell us about the challenges you've faced?
Oh, I've encountered a lot, right from the start of this adventure. Even before we officially launched Zorah in 2006, we spent three years in research and development, and entered every possible entrepreneurial competition to finance us: Fondation du Maire (now Fondation Montréal), SAJE, CEDEC, OsEntreprendre. For a year, I lived on $300 a week, and for the first five years, I didn't pay myself a salary, reinvesting all the company's profits in applied research. Quite simply, my employees were paid more than I was! As for the banks, it wasn't easy either. The BDC gave me a loan at first, but in 2009, three years after Zorah's official launch, no one was willing to provide me with a line of credit. In hindsight, I have no regrets, but if I had to do it all over again, I think I'd take out a bigger loan at the outset to avoid ending up in this situation. I also ran into a few problems in finding a home for Zorah, because until 20 years ago, commercial landlords in Montreal wanted a man to countersign the lease. Only one of them, whose mother had also been an entrepreneur, agreed to rent me the space we still occupy today without a second male signature.
Another challenge was to establish ourselves in the market. Firstly, because people were prejudiced against biocosmetics, associating them with recipes made by hippies in a cooking cauldron. And secondly, because we had to stand out from the crowd of brands. So we did everything we could, taking part in two or three trade shows a month, and enlisting the support of the media, who helped to make us known. Finally, and this was a major ordeal for me on all fronts, in 2022 I bought out my ex-spouse's shares in the company. It was a personal and professional tsunami, I admit. But I held on, because Zorah is my baby, and the Berber women I work with in Morocco are my family. When you change lives the way Zorah does over there, it's precious.
After almost 20 years in business, your company is well established in the Canadian market. What are your ambitions now?
Conquering the world! Our laboratory now manufactures products for other international cosmetic and pharmaceutical brands. But we also want to leverage our own brand and our uniqueness - biocosmetics - to open up other markets. In addition to Morocco, Zorah is currently making inroads in Turkey, Switzerland, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Our aim is to become a world leader in our field. On a more personal note, in closing, I'd like to say that while I'm working on Zorah's international development, I'd also like to teach one day. Teaching women's entrepreneurship, showing students that you can do things differently, while at the same time being a model of success.
By Sophie Ginoux
Original Blog published Zorah: 20 ans après, Mélissa Harvey inspire le respect — E-PREMIÈRES
