Patanjali to launch baby-care products

Company, founded by yoga guru Ramdev, lining up television advertisements

After venturing in to processed and instant food category, Yoga guru Ramdev is now eyeing baby-care and beauty products segments to expand Patanjali's 'Swadeshi' products portfolio. Baba Ramdev co-founded Patanjali Ayurdev is launching a wide-range of baby-care and beauty products in December - comprising of body oil, powder, creams and soaps. The new products categories will be lined up under the brands - 'Shishu Care' and 'Saundrya' respectively.

Ramdev reiterated his position against foreign multinationals' profit motive and taking away profits earned in India to their homeland. Patanjali, in line with the corporate entities, is coming up with targeted television advertisements to "inform consumers about its presence in the market". It has roped in wrestler Sushil Kumar and singer cum music composer Shankar Mahadevan for its television campaigns (TVC) on Ghee and instant noodle. Patanajali will also come up with TVCs for its chawanprash, honey and juices among others. "TV and print ads will follow on new products as the launches near", he said. "We want to break the monopoly enjoyed by multinationals such as Johnson & Johnson in the baby-care segment", he added. It is also launching a powerdrink named 'PowerVita' next month.

In the wake of the Maggi noodles ban in the country, the yoga guru announced plans to enter the Rs 3,800 crore instant noodles market in India. The products has been launched recently in the market. "We expect to reach 1 million outlets by end of this year and Patanajali noodle will grab a 25 percent market share by next year", Baba Ramdev said today. To sell its atta noodles, Patanjali has tied up with retail chains like Reliance Fresh, D Mart, Big Bazar. "My vision is very simple: to combine the ancient knowledge of science and Ayurveda and transform them in to modern day products", Ramdev said.

And to ramp up production, Patanjali will start at least five manufacturing units in the national capital region (NCR), Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra with in next one year to produce noodles. "The initial responses indicate that we are short in the supply side", Ramdev said. Patanjali will expand its product portfolio in the instant noodle space provided the products can be manufactured in a healthier and natural ingredients, he says.

While, his inclination for 'Swadeshi' and 'Khadi' (cotton clothes) is known, today he indicated that Khadi clothes for usage during yoga may be introduced by Patanjali soon. "Currently, we are working on the idea", he said.

Patanjali Ayurved - a company co-founded by Ramdev along with his aide Acharya Bal Krishna has sold FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products worth Rs 2007 crore during FY2015 and it aims to post Rs 5,000 crore revenue from the business division by March, 2016. "Patanjali is a not for profit company. All our earnings are spend for spread of education and yoga. The profits earned from baby-care business will thus be used for the betterment of tribal and poor kids in the country", Ramdev said.