Beardo - Success Case Study

Summary

Beardo is an Indian male grooming brand that offers a variety of beard, moustache, and haircare products along with skincare and bath care products. Launched in September 2015, Beardo's revenue increased almost sixfold from INR83.8m ($1.3m) in 2017 to INR483.2m ($1.3m) in 2019. Marico bought 43% of Beardo in November 2017 and acquired the remaining stakes in July 2020.

Two Indian youths, Ashutosh Valani, who started his entrepreneur journey with e-commerce venture Aj ki Item, and Priyank Shah, who had four years experience in procurement and logistics, began exploring the untapped men's grooming market in India. According to their research, beard grooming products targeted more than 25 million users and had a market size of INR20bn in 20151. While beards had become trendy in India, the market lacked branded grooming products for men.

The duo founded Zed Lifestyle, with the flagship brand Beardo launched in October 2015.Starting out with just two beard grooming products - beard oil and beard wash - Beardo has expanded its range with beard balm, beard growth oil, and grooming electronics like trimmers. The homegrown brand now offers a variety of products exclusively for men including face wash, soaps, face packs, scrubs, and haircare and skincare products.

Scope

• A number of male grooming product start-ups have received support from top FMCG companies in India.
• Beardo emphasizes the use of "natural" ingredients and a quality-controlled manufacturing process.
• Instead of a "one size fits all" approach, Beardo developed products that address specific issues raised by male consumers.
• Beardo adopted a digital-first approach in its product distribution, and a mix of online and offline marketing campaigns to appeal to young consumers.
• Beauty and grooming companies in India need to focus on product customization and digital marketing to appeal to young people.

Reasons to Buy

• Understand the relevant consumer trends and attitudes that drive and support innovation success so you can tap into what is really impacting the industry.
• Gain a broader appreciation of the fast-moving consumer goods industry by gaining insights from both within and outside of your sector.
• Access valuable strategic take-outs to help direct future decision-making and inform new product development.