GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare is looking at
partnering with local manufacturers for its newly-launched Polident brand of
specialised oral care products in the country, with plans to make India an
export hub for the brand in neighbouring markets.
The company that sells brands such as Sensodyne, Eno, Crocin
and Otrivin, recently launched Polident—a denture care brand—in India. The
launch of the Polident denture fixative cream marks GSK’s foray into the
specialised denture care category.
“Polident, to begin with, we have imported, but we are
actively in talks with local manufacturers. In fact, India will be the hub
wherein they will supply to a few neighbouring countries for sure,” said
Anurita Chopra, area marketing director, Oral Health, GSK Consumer Healthcare.
Globally, the denture-care category is estimated at Rs12,500
crore. GSK Consumer Healthcare sells the product across markets such as Japan,
China, Latin America etc.
Chopra said it could take up to a year for the company to
finalise plans for local manufacturing in India.
“We are actively scoping out the local manufacturing part,
in terms of how we are going to set up the manufacturing story for Polident in
India. Most probably, it will be a third-party manufacturer to start with, and
then let’s see once the business picks up. That will obviously determine what
kind of investments we want. But definitely, there is a huge intent to build
the brand. We’re pretty much starting from scratch in terms of actually
building the category that does not exist in India,” she said.
The move comes after GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK) announced
plans to divest its health food drinks portfolio in India, Bangladesh and 20
other largely Asian markets to Unilever in 2018. The deal included an
all-equity merger of Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) with the GSK Consumer
Healthcare India (GSK CH India).
GSK had said earlier that India remains an important market
for GSK and the company will continue to invest in growth opportunities for its
OTC and oral health brands here.
In India, the product that has been launched online and
across the country will largely be targeted at a more urban consumer for now.
“We will start with the urban population because that’s
where we find the denture users reside,” said Chopra. “GSK estimates there
are 20 million denture wearers in India. But we know that another million gets
added every year.”
Also, GSK estimates that one out of every seven Indians
above the age of 45 wears a denture; however, only 5% of these denture wearers
use specialist products.
“The company already works with network of 35,000 dentists
and dental experts for its Sensodyne brand of oral care—a network it will tap
to promote its new brand. The first endorsers and advocates for Polident will
be dental experts,” added Chopra.
To be sure, India is the second-largest market for the brand
Sensodyne. The brand is locally manufactured here through facilities in
Karnataka, Goa, and Silvassa. The product is exported to several markets from
India.
The launch will also be supported with a strong media plan. Chopra,
shared, “The TV campaign has already gone live in Tamil Nadu, and in Delhi.
There is a strong digital campaign because today’s audience is digitally savvy.
And the expert channel, which is a critical endorser for us, is working very
well in terms of prescriptions.”
