SPECTATORS soaking up the World Cup atmosphere in South Africa may also be soaking in a product partly developed by a Suffolk firm.

As football fever takes hold, Jarvis, based in Hadleigh, is reaping the benefits of its partnership with a South African cosmetics developer.

Jarvis, which supplies botanical ingredients for skin care and beauty products, bought a 25% share in South African firm Prime Product in 2004. Since then it has shared its knowledge about ingredients, as well as its expertise in formulating and manufacturing cosmetic products.

The partnership has helped Prime Product to fund a new 20 million South African Rand (�1.8m) factory in Pretoria where the South African firm has established itself as the leading sun care research and development laboratory and manufacturer. The firm is responsible for producing the lion’s share of South Africa’s leading suncare brands.

Jarvis has also worked with Prime to produce a new men’s shaving range, sharing its expertise in formulae development of men’s skin care.

Quentin Jarvis, managing director of Jarvis and a board director of Prime Product, said: “Our partnership with South Africa has benefited both businesses through sharing ideas, best practices, and core competencies. It’s exciting to think that spectators at World Cup matches this summer are more than likely to be using one of our sun screens.”

Founded by Quentin Jarvis’ father Peter in 1974, Jarvis now has a workforce of 40.

It has become highly regarded in the cosmetics industry for its depth of knowledge about plant properties and extraction processes to benefit skin care.

The company has invested in bespoke skin care development laboratories at its site on Hadleigh Business Park and has separate manufacturing and filling divisions, providing a complete service to customers, and enabling it to keep up with the latest developments in cosmetics technology.