Direct selling business in India is growing: Oriflame's Edyta Kurek

Edyta Kurek, senior vice president of Oriflame India and Indonesia, is the first woman to lead the Swedish beauty brand’s operations in India. In a conversation with Veenu Sandhu, conducted both in-person and virtually in New Delhi, Kurek discusses Oriflame’s commitment to the direct-selling model, its plans to expand its women-led sales force, and how India remains a priority market. Edited excerpts:

As the first woman to lead Oriflame in India, is there a specific area you want to focus on?

India has made notable progress in terms of women's participation in the workforce, but it's still only 37 per cent of women who leave home every morning to go to work. Along with my company and my team, I want to help change this. I think it is great when women make decisions based not on their dependency but on their independence, and that includes financial independence. 

Oriflame completes 30 years in India in 2025. It was one of the first international companies to introduce the direct marketing model here. Has that strategy changed?

It is not possible to avoid digital, so our brand partners have learnt to work online as well. So, those face-to-face meetings are now screen-to-screen meetings. That said, relationships are something unique in our business. Primarily, we have transitioned from traditional direct selling toward a hybrid model that merges offline sales with online channels. Further, our VIP Membership Programme facilitates online purchases while enhancing customer retention through data collection. Allowing customers multiple interaction points — online or offline — has also created an omnichannel experience catering to diverse consumer preferences. The ‘plug-and-play’ entrepreneurship model remains the same.

So, the direct selling model remains strong? 

Yes, absolutely. Direct selling numbers are strong here in India, business is growing, and more companies are entering the market. I recently participated in the Indian Direct Selling Association's meeting, where they shared that there are around 400 direct selling companies in India. Of course, some come and go, and some disguise themselves as direct sellers, but the market is expanding. In this association, for instance, we have 20 biggest companies from India and around the world.

What are your expansion plans?

We aim to on-board 1 million brand partners within the next five years, thereby promoting micro-entrepreneurship and nurturing a dynamic start-up culture across the country. Currently, there are over 150,000 [brand partners], so it’s still a long way to go. This ambitious target aligns perfectly with India's growth trajectory and the Indian government’s emphasis on employment generation and self-reliance. With 80 per cent of our brand partners [in India] being women and 60 per cent of our global workforce being female, we’re actively contributing to gender equality and economic empowerment.

A primary focus for Oriflame is engaging with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and millennials. This strategic priority aims to align the brand with future market trends, ensuring sustained growth by connecting with the next generation of consumers. By targeting these demographics, Oriflame positions itself to remain relevant in a rapidly changing market landscape.

Tupperware also follows a direct-selling model, but the company is in trouble. Any thoughts on that?

I think the portfolio has to support changes taking place in the community. Your customer is getting older; you have to think about how to ensure they still find your products interesting. There is also a new generation of consumers coming in with values that do not align with plastic. Gen Z is very practical and has its own thinking about how the world should be. 

This is why we at Oriflame are here talking about sustainability, because it is so important to us. Yes, it is more expensive. Yes, it takes more time to make. But this is the path we have chosen. We want to leave the planet for the next generation in good shape.

You are also selling on platforms like Amazon now?

We do have a small pilot on Amazon, but it’s not substantial. Our philosophy is to sell results, not products.

How do you tailor your products to the Indian market?

There’s no single Indian skin type, so we design products that cater to the unique needs of this market. For example, lighter formulas work better in the Indian climate, and women here generally start using anti-aging products later because their skin has more collagen than that of Europeans. Moisturisation is also a big thing here. I hope to make India our number one market.