The Hindu Business Line : Godrej withdraws soap brand Nimin

GODREJ Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has decided to withdraw its latest soap brand, Nimin, from the market. The FMCG major had launched Nimin on the germicide platform last year, pitting itself against HLL's Lifebuoy.

Pegged on a par with Lifebuoy's variant in the sub-popular category, Nimin was priced at Rs 8 for 75 gm and Rs 13 for 125 gm.

Mr Adi Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, told Business Line, "The Nimin brand has been withdrawn. It has not done well for the past 6-8 months. However, some stocks may still be available in the market.''

Mr Hoshedar K. Press, Executive Director & President, said, "In spite of undergoing market research, Nimin has not been accepted. After all, research shows that only 10 per cent of the new brands succeed in the market.''

The company entered the health segment with the launch of Nimin in May 2004. Apart from Lifebuoy, it was pitted against a host of herbal brands. Targeted at the entire family, the health soap was said to be made from 100 per cent vegetable oils and combined the goodness of natural ingredients such as neem, tulsi and lime.

Mr Godrej said, "We had a strong rural thrust planned for the new brand and it was not a metro product in a big way.''

GCPL had appointed Mudra as its ad agency for the Nimin brand. Mudra also handles its leading soap brand Godrej No. 1. The company has planned more variants for its two flagship soap brands, Cinthol and Godrej No. 1, which have been growing at 15 per cent while the toilet soaps segment is growing at 5 per cent in 2005.

Commanding a mere 8 per cent share in toilet soaps, GCPL sees an opportunity to grow further. Besides, it has also decided to enter the hair oil market with a brand under its name. With intentions of tapping new export markets, especially for its hair colour brands, the company intends spreading its operations in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Latin America by next year. "We will either set up subsidiaries or have a distribution arrangement in these countries,'' said Mr Godrej.

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