Henkel re-enters consumer segment with Schwarzkopf; aims to build hair solutions portfolio

L'Oreal grooming products are seen at a hairdressing salon in Vienna, Austria, October 13, 2017. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader - RC17C9765310

German consumer goods firm Henkel, which has re-entered the consumer market in India after around a decade, is betting on the beauty segment in which it is working to build a holistic hair solutions portfolio, a company official said.

With the consolidation of its consumer business at the global level, led by a successful merger of beauty care, laundry and home divisions, Henkel foresees a powerhouse of international bestsellers hitting the Indian market, said Kartik Kaushik, Country Head-Henkel Consumer Brands, India and South Asia Export.

Henkel has introduced hair colourant brand Schwarzkopf in the consumer segment and also plans to launch another brand TAFT in India in the near future.

"Hair colour is just the beginning of the India journey. The goal is to build a holistic hair solutions portfolio," Kaushik told PTI.

According to Kaushik, there is a "bull run" for hair solution products in India and the growth trajectory is high.

"The idea is to create a structured distribution network for B2C and then get in these cutting-edge products. We are an international powerhouse of global brands. All the global brands at some time or another, depending on which stage the market is, we intend to get them," he added.

The company is working on setting up the distribution network and getting more products in the portfolio, he said, adding the focus remains on both -- the professional segment, which is one of the fastest growing in the Indo-Pacific region, and the consumer business, where it intends to simulate similar success.

Henkel introduced its hair colour brand Schwarzkopf a couple of months back. It has launched two ranges -- Colour Specialist and Simply Color.
"Indian market is different from what was 15 years back. It is a highly evolved market and a bright spot in the world. We want to have a larger portfolio and larger playing field," he said, adding only the consumer segment can give a larger play in India.

Asked about growth, Kaushik said the hair dye category was valued at approximately Rs 5,000 crore in 2021, of which around 40 per cent is contributed by crème hair colour.

"Henkel Consumer Brands is targeting the premium segment in crème hair colour with an aim to reach 20 per cent market share by 2025," he added.
In 2011, home-grown FMCG major Jyothy Laboratories acquired a majority stake in Henkel India Limited (HIL) from Henkel AG & Co. The deal included brands such as Henko, Margo soap and Pril dishwash.

On being asked whether Henkel plans to enter other segments, Kaushik said, "When you say beauty and personal care, definitely we would be foraying into that. Laundry, we will not come into it as it is ably handled by our partner Jyothy Laboratories. The brand has been licensed to them and they are doing a fairly good job...We would rather focus on the beauty part of the business."