A few years ago, health and personal care consumer products company Emami Ltd conducted a study that revealed that almost 30 per cent users of skin care products were men. This egged the company on to launch Fair & Handsome fairness cream for men in 2005. In the first year of its launch, Fair & Handsome clocked impressive sales of more than Rs 50 crore, and opened up a new segment of male grooming products.
It is a market that is set to expand with the entry of new products and brands. MCPL India, Elder Healthcare, Vandana Luthra Curls & Curves (VLCC) and Marico, other than Emami, are launching products tailored for this market.
Emami has a whole range on the anvil — after-shave lotions and creams, soaps, deodorants and shampoos. “Our research and development team is working on new products in the men’s range. Fair & Handsome contributes 10-12 per cent of the total turnover. It grew 35-40 per cent in the last financial year. We expect it to maintain steady growth in the coming years,” says Mohan Goenka, director, Emami Group of Companies. At present, the company has, other than the fairness cream, Mr Black Kesh Kala hair dye for men.
MCPL India, the men’s toiletries company with brands like Old Spice, is eyeing 30 per cent growth this financial year, over Rs 50 crore last year, on the back of a new set of men’s toiletries and fragrances. “We will soon launch shaving preparations for men,” says G K Bhatt, managing director of MCPL India.
FMCG analysts say the male cosmetics category is still at a nascent stage. It is pegged at just about Rs 1,500 crore, but is registering rapid growth and may double this year.
Marico launched Parachute advanced After Shower Hair Cream in August 2005 after a three-month marketing stint in Mumbai. Within two months of its launch in Mumbai, it managed a 28 per cent market share. A Marico spokesperson says: “Marico’s Parachute after-shower creams and gels have grown by 12 per cent in volume over the previous year, though the growth in the third quarter of 2008-09 over the same quarter of 2007-08 was 6 per cent. Parachute Advanced intends to grow the hair creams and gels market in India. Its share in the category during the 12 months ended November 2008 was about 20 per cent.”
Likewise, Elder Healthcare is eyeing 7-8 per cent market share in the segment by 2010. “Our current market share is minimal, but with the launch of our Fuel for Men range of men’s grooming products, we expect it to be 7-8 per cent by 2009-10,” says Elder managing director Anuj Saxena. Elder Healthcare, part of the Rs 500 crore Elder Group, recently launched its deodourant under the brand-name Fuel for Men in alliance with VLCC. Elder would launch and market the product, whereas VLCC would manufacture and do the formulation for the product at its research and development centre in France and other parts of Europe. “With this launch we intend to corner a 5 per cent share of the deodorants market, estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore, by 2009-10,” says Saxena.
Not to be left behind, direct-selling company Oriflame, which has talcum powder, after-shaves, sprays and deodorants for men, says the sales of its male grooming products have been growing at 20 per cent. Fredrick Widell, managing director of Oriflame India, says: “We have more than 40 products for men. Our new range of products for men will include tailor-made products for men to enhance stomach muscles, anti-ageing products, and others.”
