'DOMESTIC IMPORTS'

RICHARD TURCSIK

NEW YORK -- Colgate-Palmolive Co. here is among the manufacturers looking to the burgeoning Hispanic population for growth.

Colgate is working to improve its domestic sales by importing products that are popular in Latin America -- such as its Suavitel fabric softener -- into the United States.

Speaking last month at the Edison Best New Products Awards ceremony here -- sponsored by the American Marketing Association, Chicago -- James Figura, vice president for consumer research at Colgate-Palmolive, said Colgate continues to "import" its products from overseas into the United States.

"I always get asked what do you do with those products that are outside the United States. We have been bringing those products into the United States, particularly from Latin America, and selling them in markets that have a high percentage of Hispanic populations," he said, citing Suavitel fabric softener as an example.

"Suavitel has done exceptionally well in the Hispanic markets over the last nine months [since its U.S. introduction] and it continues to do well," he said.