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The story of Miguel Krigsner shows how a small pharmacy opened in Curitiba in 1977 gave rise to one of the largest beauty groups in the world.
On March 22, 1977, pharmacist Miguel Krigsner opened a small compounding pharmacy on a side street in Curitiba, Paraná. The initial investment was equivalent to approximately US$ 3,000, an amount obtained with family help, and the original idea was not to build a beauty empire but to offer personalized compounded medications to customers. According to the official history page of O Boticário, it was in this small store that the brand was born, which decades later would become one of the biggest references in the Brazilian cosmetics market.
At the time, Miguel Krigsner believed that the shopping experience should be different from that offered by traditional pharmacies. Instead of counters full of medicines, he created a welcoming environment with a sofa, coffee, and personalized service. The proposal quickly won over customers and paved the way for a much larger business.
Interest in cosmetics arose within the pharmacy itself
Although the pharmacy compounded medications, Miguel Krigsner noticed that many customers showed interest in products aimed at skin and hair care.
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According to the official history of O Boticário, he began to develop small formulations of his own, such as collagen cream, stretch mark cream, shampoo, and seaweed bath. All were handcrafted in the pharmacy itself, using simple equipment.
One of the most curious details of this phase is that several products were prepared in a red household mixer, a gift given to Miguel Krigsner’s sister that ended up being incorporated into the production of the company’s first cosmetics. The brand itself highlights this episode as a symbol of the modest beginnings of the business.
The first perfume changed the course of the company
Shortly afterward, a product emerged that would completely alter the future of the small pharmacy. Miguel Krigsner launched the fragrance Acqua Fresca, sold in a bottle shaped like an amphora, which remains one of the brand’s greatest symbols.
According to O Boticário, the perfume quickly became a success among consumers and caused the demand for products to increase far beyond compounded medications. The growth occurred mainly through recommendations from the customers themselves.
A store at the airport helped spread the brand across Brazil
In 1979, just two years after the pharmacy opened, Miguel Krigsner made a decision considered strategic.
He opened an exclusive store at Afonso Pena Airport in Curitiba. Airline crew members, passengers, and tourists began buying the products and taking them to different Brazilian states.
According to the company’s official history, this unit played a decisive role in making the brand known nationwide even before the expansion through franchises.
In the following years, O Boticário began investing in the franchise model. The strategy allowed the brand’s presence to expand rapidly without the company having to build all the stores with its own resources.
According to the Grupo Boticário, this model transformed O Boticário into the largest beauty franchise in the world, gathering thousands of sales points and consolidating the brand as one of the leaders in the sector.
The small business gave rise to one of the largest business groups in Brazil
With continuous growth, the company stopped operating with just a single brand. Today, the Grupo Boticário comprises several companies in the beauty sector, e-commerce, and services, including brands like Eudora, Quem Disse, Berenice?, Vult, Truss, Beleza na Web, and others.
According to official information from the group, the company has more than 4,000 physical stores, is present in more than 40 countries, and employs more than 18,000 direct employees.
Miguel Krigsner also created a foundation focused on nature conservation
In addition to business expansion, Miguel Krigsner directed part of the group’s activities towards environmental initiatives.
In 1990, the Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza was created, an organization dedicated to funding environmental conservation projects, scientific research, and the preservation of Brazilian biodiversity.
According to the foundation, thousands of conservation initiatives have already received support throughout its history.
A journey started in a small pharmacy
Almost five decades after the opening of that small compounding pharmacy in Curitiba, Miguel Krigsner is recognized as one of the main entrepreneurs in the Brazilian cosmetics industry.
The business that started with an investment equivalent to about US$ 3,000 has transformed into a group present in dozens of countries and responsible for one of the largest beauty franchise networks on the planet.
The journey demonstrates how a small-scale initiative, based on personalized service and in-house product development, gave rise to one of the most well-known brands in Brazil.
