HUL to fill in white spaces with re-launches, brand extensions

Aiming to double its sales by 2015, FMCG major Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is looking at a slew of strategies, including re-launches, to garner the largest pie in the consumer goods space by filling in white spaces in its product portfolio.

While the company has re-launched its Lifebuoy talcum powder brand (in the prickly heat segment), it has also gone in for brand extensions in Knorr and Kissan, leaders in the soup and jams and ketchup categories, respectively.

Scenting an opportunity in the prickly heat talc segment, especially with the summer season on, HUL launched its Lifebuoy talc in February this year.

"We see an opportunity in the prickly heat talc segment. Germs are the root cause of prickly heat, and therefore, it is ideally suited for Lifebuoy, given the brand's strong germ-kill credentials, to enter this segment," HUL spokesperson told PTI here.

Besides this re-launch, the company had early this year entered the juice segment with Kissan fruit (apple, mango and orange) and soya drink in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The brand will take on competitors like Real, Tropicana and Saint.

The Indian arm of MNC Unilever Plc, had in 2003, launched Lifebuoy talc which was not a prickly heat powder. However, it had to pull out the brand within a short period.

Asked about the reason for the pull-out, the company spokesperson simply said "we only had a soft launch in 2003 -- we believe we were ahead of the curve."

Analysts felt it is a good move by the consumer goods giant to fill in white spaces (sub-segments, where it is not present).