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"The decision to venture into the Indian market has never been a sudden one, as the name of the brand itself takes its origin from the rich heritage and values of the country".
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Despite lockdown, pandemic and other issue constraints, India is one of the dream destinations for global brands. They see immense opportunities offered by the Indian markets.
Many international firms are inspired by Indian culture, history, Ayurveda and heritage values. So is the Surya Brasil. After expanding its presence across more than 40 countries, Surya Brasil, a sustainable beauty brand from Brazil, is all set to debut in the Indian market. To know about the strategy, expansion etc., BW Businessworld spoke to Clelia Cecilia Angelon, Founder, Surya Brasil.
What made you head towards the Indian market?
The decision to venture into the Indian market has never been a sudden one, as the name of the brand itself takes its origin from the rich heritage and values of the country. It was the learning from the Indian history, culture, epics and personalities that led to the inception of Surya Brasil, which has Ayurveda at its crux.
It is a very natural progression to venture into the Indian market also because our products comprise Ayurvedic herbs coupled with the natural resources of Brazil, making them completely conducive to the requirements of Indian consumers.
Indian market is already flooded with n number of products, how is Surya Brasil different from the existing ones?
Surya Brasil is a conscious company with ethics offering the most natural, multi-ethnic, multi-gender and multi-functional personal care products across the world over the past 25 years. Combining Ayurveda, technology and the rich natural resources of Brazil, the products are unparalleled, thereby creating a loyal customer base globally. Similarly, we intend to start in India by increasing awareness among consumers about what benefits our products have to offer in their day-to-day lives. This would help us establish a lasting relationship with Indian consumers who continue to scramble for the right natural and vegan personal care products.
How has Covid changed the priorities of the customers towards Ayurvedic science?
The outbreak and the prolonged impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have spelt that we can no more afford to have added health and body-related complications in our lifestyle. At the top of consumers’ minds is wellness today and it has resulted in increased awareness about the benefits of personal care products comprising natural ingredients and Ayurvedic herbs. It has globally led to people discovering nature-oriented solutions as a better alternative than chemical-laden products.
During the pandemic period, Surya Brasil for instance has expanded its presence across at least five more countries while registering growth across more than 40 countries that it already catered to. We recently launched our products in countries like Columbia, South Africa, Kongo, Kenya and Costa Rica. Consumers have started to look for more natural, sustainable and easy to apply at-home products.
What products have you chosen to foray into the Indian market? Why?
We have chosen to launch our haircare range in the Indian market at first. The range includes high-performance henna cream, hair colour and colour fixation conditioner restorative, among other products. With our flagship hair care products, we have found a way to maintain colour integrity without harsh chemicals or metallic salts and we intend to offer the same to Indian consumers.
Are you prepared to compete with the existing players? What is your strategy to be on the main front?
As our products are unique, we do not have any direct competitors. Today, Surya Brasil is offering the most natural products that ensure the best performance. Most hair colours that claim to be natural have very harmful ingredients, ammonia and its by-products like Ethalonamina, Diethalonamina and Triethalonamina, along with Edta, Resorcinol, PPD, Parfum and Paraben, whereas our products consist only of Ayurvedic herbs and Brazil’s natural resources.
We are, however, sufficiently prepared to meet all the challenges. Through comprehensive marketing and public relations campaigns, our strategy is to target communities and cities where consumers are interested in our types of personal care products.
How much growth are you looking for in the first year?
While it is too early to project a number at this point, we are hoping for a 15-20% growth in the first year.