The organic cosmetics and personal care products maker Volamena Organics plans to expand its presence within India as well as abroad. Get detailed perspectives on these developments in this report
The organic skin care products maker, Volamena Organics Lab Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, USA, and which sells majorly in the Indian market, has lined up a major expansion plan covering both the Indian and export markets and also, foraying into products for children.
Though presently the Indian market accounts for about 75 percent of its business with a major portion coming from online sales, Volamena operates only in North and South Indian markets with a 34-member strong team. By 2018-end, it plans to have presence in the Western, Central and Eastern zones by increasing the number of employees to more than 60, according to Sandeep Chauhan, the company’s Manager – Operations. The expansion process will also involve appointment of distributors for the respective regions, and tie-ups with a few major retail chains. By the end of the next Financial Year (FY), the company plans to have over 100 employees, as it will have an established presence in the targeted markets by then.
Expanding globally
The export plans involve making an entry into the Middle East, European and Canadian markets. Volamena hopes to sign a Middle East distributor this year, and looks forward to entering that market early next year. At present, about 80 percent of the cosmetics products consumed in the Middle East are sourced from China and Korea. India has recently entered that market, and is in course for a 10-12 percent market share in the next two years, believes Chauhan.
Currently, the company sells only in the USA outside of India, and which accounts for about 25 percent of its business. “In line with our domestic and global expansion plans, we have recently started a bigger manufacturing facility in Kurukshetra, Haryana, and are in the process of obtaining the relevant approval certificates for our facility, that are necessary for selling beauty and cosmetic products in these countries,” informs Chauhan.
Meeting the certification needs
To start with, the new facility in Kurukshetra has already succeeded in the obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval certificate, the Halal certificate relevant for the Middle East, the ISO certificate and the Indian FDA certificate. In the next phase, the company also intends to obtain the Kosher and PETA approval certificates. “As per our Vision 2019, we hope to garner a 15 to 20 percent market share each in the Middle East and European markets,” Chauhan emphasizes.
The expansion into these markets will perfectly complement Volamena foray into products for children, feels Chauhan. “We have already applied for the MADE SAFE certificate, a vital criterion for selling baby care products in the Americas,” he informs. In the child care category of products, the company will offer body massage oils, moisturizing lotions, body washes and shampoos, among others, for children with ages ranging from 1.5 to 8 years.
With the market and product expansion plan fully implemented, Volamena, which presently utilizes only 30 percent of its manufacturing capacity of its Kurukshetra facility, looks forwarding to producing 5,000 kilo litres of products per day, states Chauhan.
Volamena boasts a wide product range for the treatment of hair, acne, skin, among others, and all its offerings are claimed to be hypo allergic, dermatologically tested, and free from sulphates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, para-amino benzoic acid (PABA), petroleum, paraffin and animal ingredients, according to company website. Its products are broadly classified into three categories – skin care, body care and hair care. While skin care has the widest offering range addressing concerns such as acne, dark sport correction, hydration and eye care; the body care products include hair growth inhibitors, moisturisers, and sun / UV protectors; and the hair care range addresses issues like frizzy and unruly hair, dry and damaged hair, weak and thin hair, among others.
Volamena looks forward to tapping a dynamic market comprising a growing number of consumers who prefer natural, organic and vegan products, Chauhan mentions.