The phenomenal rise of India’s Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd, which has upset the strategies of many established cosmetics companies in the country, is credited to its low prices and high quality, as well as an increasing demand for herbal products.
Credit is also given to unorthodox marketing techniques backed by the popularity of yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who, despite having no formal relationship with the company, is closely linked to the brand. ‘Patanjali’ means ‘Baba Ramdev’ to most Indian consumers.
In an interview with SPC, the company’s Managing Director, Acharya Balkrishna, noted that within ten years of its launch, Patanjali has achieved US$750m in annual sales in the financial year ending March 2016. Personal care products are a significant part of the company’s turnover. While officials would not say exactly what proportion, Patanjali shop managers speaking to SPC estimated that cosmetics, soaps and toothpastes make up