Himalaya forays into mother care segment

India: Himalaya Drug Company, has announced to enter the mother care segment. The company has launched products such as soothing body butter, toning massage oil, anti-rash cream and nipple care butter.

The product rage would be catering to the specific requirements of mothers for pre and post-natal mother care like pregnancy rashes, skin, and soreness of nipples.

Himalaya's biggest vertical of personal care contributes 42% to its total sales, followed by pharmaceutical 32%, baby care 15%, animal health 4 % and wellness 4%. The company expects the mother care segment to contribute around 5-6% turnover in 2- 3 years. The company is expected to launch 7-8 new products over the next year and capture a major market share in the coming years.

According to TechSci Research, the mother care industry is a niche market with only a few notable players in the market. In India around 1,768 million children are born every hour. This market remains untapped majorly due to lack of awareness especially among the rural population in the country.

According to a recent report published by TechSci Research,  “India Women’s Cosmetics Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020”, the market for women’s cosmetics products in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16% during 2015-20. Growth in the market is being driven by increasing consciousness among women regarding their looks, in addition to aggressive advertising of these products. India women’s cosmetics market is highly competitive, and so major players are working towards optimizing their sales, by focusing on product development and innovative packaging to lure more customers. Companies are also roping in different female icons to feature in their product advertisements, as the aspiration to look more like their celebrity idols has been a major factor encouraging sales of cosmetic products in the country. Major players in women’s cosmetics market include HUL, Procter & Gamble, L’Oréal and Himalaya, among others.