GCPL (Godrej Consumer Products) is gearing up for the monsoon and has decided to re-enter the germ-kill antibacterial segment by adding another soap brand to its portfolio. The No. two player in soaps is planning to extend its toilet soaps range by stretching the equity of its relatively new brand – Protekt. It may also consider entering the body wash category under the same brand.

Currently the soaps portfolio contributes 28 per cent of its turnover with brands such as Godrej No. 1, Cinthol and FairGlow. The company has a 10 per cent share in the Rs 8,000-crore toilet soap category. While the company has a couple of dormant brands such as Evita , Crowing Glory and Vigil, it has decided to extend the franchise of Protekt, launched in 2009 at the height of the H1N1 flu menace with products such as hand washes, wipes and hand sanitisers.

Speaking to Business Line , Mr Vivek Gambhir, Chief Strategy Officer, Godrej Industries, said, “We are looking at the antibacterial segment in soaps under Protekt. We do have a soap brand, Vigil, with the same proposition but it has been a dormant brand in our portfolio.'' In fact, GCPL has been trying to enter the segment with brands such as Vigil, trying to pit it against the largest selling brand of Lifebuoy from Hindustan Unilever. But now with Protekt, where it is borrowing technology for hand hygiene from its acquired company, Keyline Brands of the UK, GCPL may have a better chance of making a mark. Protekt may also be extended as a body wash , a niche yet growing segment where again stalwarts such as HUL, Colgate Palmolive and ITC dominate with brands such as Lux, Palmolive and Fiama Di Will respectively. “Consumption patterns are changing and we are sowing the seeds to cater to the change. Body wash is a niche segment but we have to place our bets in the personal wash segment. The purpose is to have a differentiated product so that consumers come back,” added Mr Gambhir.

Air freshener

GCPL is also planning to re-enter the air freshener segment vacated by the Sara Lee brand of Ambipur (now with Procter & Gamble). “It may be a greenfield brand although we were evaluating the Stella name for the air freshener which we had acquired in Indonesia. However, we would be sourcing technology from this brand when we enter the air freshener category, '' said Mr Gambhir. The FMCG company is also evaluating bringing in a salon brand, Salon Selective, from Keyline Brands.

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