FMCGs veer towards online male grooming

The category's blistering pace of growth is at the heart of the interest shown by these companies

Last week, Kolkata-based Emami announced it was acquiring a 30 per cent stake in Helios Lifestyle, which owns online male grooming brand The Man Company. It was the second transaction in this segment this year, after Mumbai-based Marico in March picked up a 45 per cent stake in Zed Lifestyle, owner of Beardo, a brand sold online and in salons.

Globally, Unilever — the world’s second-largest consumer goods company — already indicated that it was keen to take Dollar Shave Club, a US-based online male grooming brand acquired in 2016, to new markets, including India. Unilever might go ahead with