Rewind six months from now and one would have not imagined the immense footage that Ayurvedic or natural immunity-boosting products would be churning this year and beyond. Be it big fat FMCG companies or startups, all of them are coming out with Ayurveda-based nutrition and wellness products on the back of a rise in demand for traditional herbal remedies and medicinal prevention in a world suffering its biggest health crisis imposed by COVID-19. Dabur India Ltd, one of India’s leading FMCG companies and the world’s largest Ayurvedic and natural healthcare company in its April-June quarter saw a nearly seven-fold growth in demand for Dabur Chyawanprash and over 60% surge in demand for Dabur Honey. Likewise, startups in the field of Ayurveda have found their moment as they look to scale up their businesses amid the growing uproar for Ayurveda-based preventive healthcare products.
As such Dabur has already started strengthening its portfolio with the introduction of new ready-to-use immunity-booster products and more innovative offerings on the cards, companies such as Himalaya, Emami, among others are also bracing themselves to match the current need of the market in a COVIDian world. Further, apart from the seasoned players in this segment, several startups have been aiming to cash on a surge in demand for products that help boost immunity. For instance, Zyro Health Care Pvt Ltd, a Delhi-based company that provides food and herbal supplements, has come up with a product called Preventika, which is used to boost the overall immune system. Similarly, Noida-based Neuherbs has launched around eight products in the personal hygiene category, including hand sanitizers, hand wash, fruit and vegetable cleaners, and much more under the brand name, Neusafe.
In recent years, health consciousness has seeped into the minds of Indian consumers with individuals becoming committed to healthier lifestyles. A recent report by Deloitte (2019) on Understanding the Indian Grahak observes that increasing sedentary lifestyle and changing eating habits have made way for healthier choices including natural, herbal, organic, and Ayurvedic-based products. Research says that millennials are increasingly becoming health conscious and placing higher importance on physical and mental wellbeing, and thus swiftly moving towards healthier and organic options.
Over the last few months, the pandemic has only accelerated such consumer awareness and demand for herbal and wellness products with people making a gradual transition into believing and adopting Ayurveda in their lifestyles. Moreover, the realization that we would be living in a COVID-infected world for some time has influenced individuals to keep up their defences and adopt preventive measures that have resulted in buying more immunity-boosting and herbal based wellness products.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has recently issued a set of guidelines under its Post COVID Management Protocol that includes consumption of chyawanprash, ayush kwath, ashwagandha, turmeric milk, giloy, etc apart from practicing yoga and regular walks. The announcement is likely to further drive demand for ayurvedic and herbal products being marketed under the immunity and health booster plan, as COVID-19 cases continue on a monstrous spike spree in India.
Ayurveda as a medicinal science is believed to be more preventive than curative. It is a lifestyle solution that people are willing to adapt amid the uncertainty surrounding a permanent cure of COVID-19 in the form of a vaccine. Even if humanity sees the light of a proven vaccine for COVID-19 which hopefully should happen in the near future, the shifting of consumers’ tastes and preferences towards health and immunity is likely to continue and alter business strategies of various brands.
In such a scenario, brands that are invested in wellness and healthcare will play a vital role in meeting consumer requirements. Capitalizing on the emerging trend of eating right and building immunity to fight COVID-19, popular brands such as Hamdard and Amul have launched giloy-neem-tulsi- aloe vera juices and Ayurveda inspired ready-to-drink beverages respectively. Using the print, television, social media and radio platform to spread the message of building a stronger immune system, these brands have been promoting wellness products through ad campaigns and are being heavily liked by customers across societies.
Going ahead, it is reasonable to expect that as long as a brand is trusted and is able to marry Ayurvedic knowledge with modern-day science that resonates well with the consumers, its new variants which promise immunity building will be a hit. With the pandemic taking its toll, consumer demand for Ayurvedic supplements will only shoot up and is likely to attract more startups into this space. At this stage, it is suggested that companies should focus more on content and influencer marketing that not only addresses consumers’ immunity concern but also successfully captures the spirit of the current times involving a significant emotional value. This would help brands to stay relevant and survive better in the marketplace in today’s fast-changing global economic landscape.
Views expressed are personal.
