The Hindu Business Line : Wipro Consumer bets big on `wellness' segment

After acquiring Glucovita from Hindustan Lever two years ago and then launching Wipro Sanjeevani Isabgol (laxative) last year, the company has begun test marketing its third over-the-counter (OTC), wellness product - honey - in Mumbai this week.

The WCCL President, Mr Vineet Agrawal, told Business Line, "We have begun test marketing honey. The product, under the Wipro Sanjeevani brand umbrella, comprises the lemon-honey and ginger-honey combinations besides plain honey".

He said that the research and development team at WCCL has been working for the last 12 months to get the "correct" product in terms of thickness, desired combinations and packaging.

At present, the packaged honey market is close to Rs 110 crore with Dabur India Ltd being the dominant player.

Mr Agrawal said that consumer response, especially number of repeat purchases, would be closely monitored over the next several months before WCCL takes a decision on launching the product.

While asserting that the wellness products market is expected to log very high growth rates, he, however, said that the total market for such products remains small.

Mr Agrawal also indicated that WCCL was open to acquisitions, provided the deal enabled it to "unlock potential" in the acquired brand.

He said that after the acquisition of Chandrika soap, the brand has seen 50 per cent value growth in sales within nine months ending December 2004.

In the past, WCCL has indicated that it would be keen to examine the possibility of acquiring Mysore Sandal soap from the Karnataka Government.

At present, WCCL's product portfolio can be divided into three broad categories: Consumer Business (comprising soaps, OTC and home care products); Lighting (institutional sales of lighting products and the newly-launched modular furniture business) and Lighting Trade (tubes, bulbs and other lighting accessories).

Mr Agrawal said the company would continue to focus on all these businesses, by taking a region-centric approach and adding products wherever necessary.

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Wipro Consumer bets big on `wellness' segment — Begins test-marketing of honey in Mumbai