Covid-19: Wipro Consumer Care fast-tracks launch of health-related products

Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting (WCCL) will launch hand sanitisers, anti-germ men’s soaps and deo sprays in its premium Yardley brand by next month, bringing ahead its plans by over a year to meet demand during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Bengaluru-headquartered company has also tweaked existing products such as pocket perfumes under the Yardley brand which would double up as hand sanitisers. According to reports, the Indian hand hygiene market is expected to cross Rs 2,000 crore by 2025 registering a compounded annual growth rate of more than 9 per cent. 

“Our pocket perfumes have 70 per cent alcohol and germ kill properties. We tweaked the formulation to make it a healthcare product from a fragrance product while adding ingredients which would be more effective on killing germs and reduced the amount of fragrance,” said Manish Vyas, Vice President and Business Head, Yardley India, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting.

Priced at Rs 50, the product is available in a flat format bottle which can easily fit in pockets and purses. It is currently being manufactured at a third-party factory in Gurugram but plans are in place to begin production at the company’s plant in Tumkur near Bengaluru. These perfumes-cum-sanitisers have been launched in the northern market and are in transit to reach their states in the country. 

“In terms of transportation, we are running at 20-25 per cent of our full capacity. It is currently the biggest challenge for us as transporters are not available with restrictions on ground, “ said Vyas.

The  Rs 200-crore Yardley brand has  products in 12 categories such as talcum powder, deodorants, soap, compact perfume, shaving products, and wet wipes most of which are not typically essentials. With the brand being 70-80 per cent urban centric, and most of the Covid-19 red zones being declared in such regions, Yardley’s sales have been restricted during the lockdown period.

“We are not at all focussing on revenue right now. We are just focussing on starting the business and want to make sure all supply chains are unclogged when lockdown is relaxed,” explained Vyas.