Emami forays into personal hygiene with Boroplus

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SME Times News Bureau | 29 Jun, 2020
Emami Limited is entering the personal hygiene segment with soaps and handwash with its skincare brand, Boroplus.

After an entry into the hygiene space with the launch of BoroPlus hand sanitizer in April, Emami has expanded its BoroPlus Hygiene Range with the launch of toilet soap bars and hand washes.

Priti Sureka, Director Emami Limited told IANS that Boroplus is known as a winter specific brand but now it will become a year- long brand without having to depend on the vagaries of the weather.

Sureka said the foray will be a booster for the brand and Emami will be launching soaps, handwashes and sanitisers under this umbrella.

Commenting that soaps is a very crowded category, Sureka said post Covid, people are looking at strong antiseptic quality in soaps. Boroplus is already established and known for its antiseptic values and that is being leveraged by the company.

There is a big consumer base for Boroplus and Emami is seeking to do turnover of Rs 80-100 crore in the personal hygiene category in the current fiscal which shows the aspiration of the brand, Sureka added.

The personal hygiene foray will be a nationwide launch and will leverage the herbal and ayurvedic salience of the brand.

"The frequency of bathing has gone up due to the health and hygiene concerns due to Covid. Similarly, while immediately during the pandemic, people rushed to buy any sanitiser brand they could get, it is a return to the trusted brands now," Sureka said.

On the changing consumer preferences post Covid, Sureka said there will be some downtrading from higher priced products as people want to save more due to the prevailing uncertainty. "They want to look at value equations and more consumer offers," she added.

In addition, she said there is enhanced pride in being an Indian and it is becoming a stronger part of each of us.

Emami is leveraging digital buying in a big way, enhancing the online engagement and taking aggressive steps as this trend is set to pick up, Sureka said.

"The foray into personal hygiene, keeping in mind the antiseptic and moisturising qualities of BoroPlus, was part of our innovation plan on the brand – we are looking at the category from a long term perspective, building the ‘cleansing' part of the range to complement the ‘care' products", Sureka said.

"However, with the world facing the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen several consumer behavioural changes with respect to personal hygiene, which have become a new way of life and we believe increased hygiene consciousness is here to stay," she added.