The Hindu Business Line : Essel’s Subhash Chandra names beauty brand after himself

Mumbai, Aug. 13 The Essel Group Chairman, Mr Subhash Chandra, is launching a beauty brand named after himself in the US market, under the newly floated subsidiary — Natural Wellness.

The company is an extension of the Essel Group’s lifestyle and wellness television channel in the US under the name Veria. The channel has been supported by a retail presence (wellness products) and a Web site of which the Chandra brand is going to be a part.

The media and entertainment baron is naming a beauty brand after himself – Chandra, with products in hair care and skin care. In addition to the existing organic brand – Veria, the new brand of Chandra would be added under the wholly owned subsidiary company of the Essel Group (Natural Wellness USA) launched in the US last year. According to Mr Syed Nauman, Head of Sourcing, Asia, Natural Wellness, US, “Chandra would be a unisex brand. The brand would comprise beauty products sourced mostly from the Indian market.”

The company has sub-contracted a Delhi-based herbal products manufacturing company, Nature’s Essence, to supply the range under the Chandra brand of products.

“We have just got a huge order of Rs 50 crore from Natural Wellness to supply to Mr Subhash Chandra’s company in the US,” stated Mr Saurabh Nanda, Executive Director, Nature’s Essence. Apart from FMCG products, the company is also outsourcing garments from a host of textile manufacturers making ‘organic’ garments from India.

With intentions of launching 400 stores under the name Veria Wellness Centre across the US, the company has appointed a President for the region. The first store is expected to open in the city of Dallas later this year. The company is expected to appoint franchises once the business expands.

“The US is a big market for organic items but it is mostly food and beverages which have organic chain stores in the US market. We would be launching organic garments as well under the Veria, which would be endorsed as an eco organic sustainable textile from a Holland-based certification body,” Mr Nauman said.

After tapping the US market, Natural Wellness is expected to enter the European markets with plans of entering India at a later stage.

“Europe would be the next destination for our brands and India would come next. But it is the US market which is at present more conscious about consuming organic products, we feel,” says Mr Nauman, who continues to source most of the products from the Indian subcontinent.

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