Photo Courtesy Qraa Men
Tapping the untouched Ayurveda beauty market, Qraa Men has moved into the right direction to cater to the ever growing metrosexual man’s grooming needs
Days are gone when beauty was associated only with women. In today’s world, men are not behind when it comes to grooming and the Internet with smartphones have made the market more accessible. Many companies have launched men’s beauty products and a special mention can be made of men’s grooming startup Qraa Men. This Delhi-based company is in news for its association with Ayurveda products, be it skin, hair, and body care. Qraa Men has been able to invade the affordable untouched Ayurveda market, where the company is gung ho about its growth prospects. Each of the products contains a combination of extracts of different herbs to protect, heal and enhance the face, body and hair.
The beginning
Karan Gupta, Founder, Qraa Men with his father Raj Gupta, a veteran businessman, is behind the formation of Qraa Men. The senior Gupta has been associated with the Indian beauty and personal care industry for over the last 25-years. During the initial days, the company RG Biocosmetics, established in 2000, houses Qraa Herbals, a natural and organic personal care brand for women. In 2016, Karan joined his father’s company to curate a personal-care collection for his skin and hair.
According to Karan Gupta, a lack of natural, problem-specific, animal cruelty-free and affordable personal care products for men led him to launch Qraa Men as an extension of Qraa Herbals. Initially, an investment of Rs 50 lakhs was made. The company has an administrative team of 25 employees, along with 30 people working in its factory in Okhla. It has 50 field staff working on sales and promotions. Freelance beauty advisors work with on a contractual basis, depending on the deliverables and business.
Hitting the right chord
Qraa Men targets metrosexual men between ages 18 and 30. The Okhla facility has an R&D team who are hired on a contract basis who thoroughly investigates the tissues and approves a product only after it is researched properly.
The team invests in a lot of research and development before moving to the manufacturing process. Its manufacturing unit is located in Okhla where R&D is conducted by industry professionals who are hired on a contract basis. The brand leverages social media, digital, and influencer marketing techniques to acquire its customers. Strict manufacturing protocol besides Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) has earned the company ISO 9001 (2000) certification.
The brand leverages social media, digital, and influencer marketing techniques to acquire its customers.
Qraa Men products are available on the brand’s website and on eCommerce platforms Nykaa, Purplle, Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Reliance, Metro Cash, and Dabur New You. The company claims to have a retention rate of 30 to 35 per cent.
According to Karan, while on some products like commodity items, the margin is less, creams or lotions enable us to get a premium margin. The scope of revenue differs from product to product. A significant portion of the startup’s revenue comes from B2B sales. During the last financial year, the brand sold 67,4151 units of products, and the aim is to sell lakh units this year. The gross merchant value of Qraa Men stands at Rs 50 crore.
Karan says, “I aspire to increase the market valuation of the company to Rs 200 crore by March 2023.” He is hopeful on achieving the revenue targets keeping an eye on the untapped markets and to develop new product lines.
The products
The government’s ‘Made in India’ concept has played a huge role where home-grown labels like Qraa Men are expected to arise with effective, natural, easy to carry, and hygienic products focussed on men.
A basic skincare routine includes cleansing, toning, and moisturising, daily. Karan suggests men opt for natural homemade face masks, scrubs, organic powders, and natural oils. Qraa Men is trying to create a niche position by providing herbal, cruelty-free products for specific personal needs. The well-known products are of Qraa Men are charcoal face wash, D-Tan kit, Keratin-infused hair serum, 10-in-1 moisturiser, mooch and beard oil, and the Haldi Chandan face wash.
Miles to go
Qraa Men plans to introduce products such as keratin-infused oils and gold oils, among others. The brand also plans to launch a herbal and chemical-free intimate care range for men.
Says Karan, “We are actively trying to raise funds externally for some interesting product lines. We have also started reaching more third-party distributors and we aim to receive orders from all across the country by this year-end.”
Kara believes that men are becoming conscious of their looks and wanting to take care of their skin and says there are miles to go when it comes to breaking stereotypes and educating Qraa Men’s target audience on what is right for their skin and hair.
PRNews