Cuticura Eyes Pan-India Growth and Younger Consumers
Skincare and personal care brand Cuticura has shared a long-term strategy to create a robust presence across India in the coming four to five years.
“We are already working on expanding our footprint through e-commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, as we are seeing early signs of acceptance for Cuticura across several new markets,” says Anupam Katheriya, Chief Executive Officer of Cholayil Pvt. Ltd., which acquired the Cuticura brand from Muller & Phipps in 2001.
The firm’s achievement in Kerala would act as a model for its growth throughout South India prior to venturing into additional areas.
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“We believe the success we achieve in Kerala will determine how we expand the brand across South India first,” he says.
Katheriya visited Kochi to announce actor Priya Varrier as Cuticura’s latest brand ambassador and present an enhanced product experience aimed at younger consumers.
Cuticura is currently accessible in various regions of the country through specific channels, but the company intends to implement a phased expansion approach.
Historically recognized as a talcum powder brand, Cuticura has transformed into a more comprehensive personal grooming brand following its acquisition by the Cholayil Group nearly 25 years ago. Currently, its portfolio covers five categories—talc, body wash, soaps, roll-ons, and hand wash.
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“We have several more categories in the pipeline that will be introduced over the next year. Our intention is to position Cuticura as a modern, new-age brand that resonates with younger consumers while retaining the affection and trust of our existing customer base,” he says.
The market for talcum powder in India, valued at approximately Rs.2,000 crore, is primarily led by five or six key multinational and domestic companies, which collectively make up about 80–85 percent of the market. The category includes segments like beauty talc, prickly heat talc, and cooling talc.
He mentioned that the talc segment has seen double-digit growth during the last five years. He referred to talcum powder as the "poor man's deodorant" due to its status as an economical substitute for many contemporary personal care items that cost considerably more.
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Apart from India, the firm exports to West Asia, the Far East, and Southeast Asia. Although its presence in mature markets like the US and the UK is still restricted, he noted that those markets are demonstrating positive signs of expansion. He noted that West Asia remains a vital part of the company’s export operations, although deliveries have been impacted by the persistent geopolitical conflicts in the region.