Arnest launches Unigroup Navoiy cosmetics project in Uzbekistan

Arnest Group has announced the launch of Unigroup Navoiy in Uzbekistan. Managed by Arnest UniRus, the cosmetics and home-care project is the company’s first foreign production asset, targeting Central Asian and other overseas markets. It is located in the Navoi Industrial Development Complex special industrial park.

Investment and manufacturing scope

The company put investment at RUB5 billion: RUB4.2 billion for equipment and engineering infrastructure, and RUB800 million for intellectual-property rights covering 23 trademarks in 40 countries. First-phase capacity is 85 million units annually.

Arnest Group president Alexei Sagal expects around 75% of output to be exported. Initial annual purchases of Russian raw materials and components are planned at RUB1.7 billion, declining through localization. Uzbekistan’s government provided infrastructure and financial support. The full-cycle manufacturing programme includes:

• cosmetics;
• home-care products;
• in-house plastic packaging.

A launch through the industrial exhibition

The enterprise’s launch took place by video link during the INNOPROM. Central Asia exhibition. The ceremony connected the exhibition with the industrial site in Navoi. Participants included Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodzhayev, the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Normat Tursunov.

The cosmetics and household-chemicals project received support from Tatarstan.

The business managing the Uzbek project

Arnest UniRus adopted its name on March 31, 2025, replacing Unilever Rus and updating its logo. The change followed the transfer of Unilever’s Russian and Belarusian business to Arnest in 2024. At the time of the renaming, general director Elena Tyabutova identified product quality, innovation and restarting export destinations as company priorities.

The business retained a consumer-brand portfolio that included Chistaya Liniya, Chyorny Zhemchug, Barkhatnye Ruchki, Lesnoy Balsam, Tiswell, Feel Moment, Camay and Cristal Purity.

Its March 2025 production network comprised five enterprises in Russia. The acquired production sites were located in Yekaterinburg, Omsk, St. Petersburg and Tula.