The Clean Beauty Curator From being a largely skincare-driven brand Plum is now growing in all 5 categories - that is skin, hair, body, makeup and men's care

By Punita Sabharwal

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Plum
Shankar Prasad, founder and CEO, Plum

Shankar Prasad started in 2014 with a clean slate, and a consumer profile in mind. "Indian consumers at that time (and even today to a great extent) lack a science-driven approach to natural beauty, and that's what Plum is all about - delightful goodness crafted out of nature's best and "good science". Once this basic construct was in place, everything else fit in almost automatically - the brand language, visual depiction, product range, copy etc. From there on, it's been a slow and steady journey of working with our core base of consumers and addressing their evolving needs - it's now 8 years since our first product launched, but the basics haven't changed at all, admits Shankar Prasad, Founder & CEO, Plum.

Initially, it was only their website which was their window into the consumer world. Working directly with consumers gave them strong insights into their preferences, which moulded their way of thinking. Online marketplaces came next and then physical distribution.

Talking about the market size, Prasad says, "The total size of the beauty and personal care market in India is upwards of US$ 25 billion and growing at healthy double digits. The online share is less than 10% today but it growing faster than the overall market. Categories like toners, mists, serums and sunscreens were really small then, but are now a large part of the market."

From being a largely skincare-driven brand Plum is now growing in all 5 categories - that is skin, hair, body, makeup and men's care. In the last two years, they have almost doubled the product range. Talking about further expansion, Prasda says, "Channel-wise we would like to widen our digital funnel to bring in even more new-to-brand users, while on the retail side we will continue to expand through multi-brand as well as exclusive outlets."

FACTSHEET:

Best seller: Green Tea Night Gel

Total SKUs: 165

Team size: 185

Repeat customer ratio: 40%

Online platform resulting in maximum revenue: Own website

Turnover for FY 2021-22: 175cr

Split between offline and online sales: 40 offline, 60 online

Punita Sabharwal

Entrepreneur Staff

Deputy Editor, Entrepreneur India Magazine

Starting a Business

They Grew Up in a Financially-Challenged Single-Parent Home and Now These Twins Run a Multimillion-Dollar Real Estate Business. Here's How They Turned Hardship Into Inspiration.

How Jeremy and Joshua Mathis overcame adversity and turned their challenging upbringing into a foundation for real estate success.

Science & Technology

Why You Should Incorporate AI into Your Business — and How to Do It the Right Way

The proliferation of generative AI tools has made the technology ever more accessible and relevant. Here's how you can apply it to your business as well.

Business Solutions

Upgrade Your AI Skillset with This $30 E-Degree

This deal features a collection of courses on ChatGPT, Gemini AI, and other leading machine-learning areas for growing professionals.

Thought Leaders

How This Family-Run Company Has Thrived for Five Generations

Marty Ozinga, the CEO of Ozinga, explains the legacy and future of the powerhouse construction materials company.