Cycle Pure Agarbathi, long known for its innovative three-in-one product developed by R N Murthy, who recognised the necessity for product diversification, is returning to its core strategy of differentiation as it expands its agarbathi portfolio to include a new range of personal and home care products.
This launch features an array of offerings, including hygiene essentials, body deodorants, pain balm, and dishwasher, along with scented candles, diffusers, room fresheners, floor and glass cleaners, and potpourri, among others.
The first notable instance of diversification in Cycle’s journey occurred when R N Murthy, the second-generation leader, observed a decline in incense stick sales.
This insight led to the creation of the bestselling three-in-one brand, which addresses customer demand for variety by combining three different fragrances, thereby allowing consumers to experiment with their choices.
The third generation continued its diversification efforts and introduced a range of brands. Their experimentation with diversifying agarbathi led to the launch of cup sambrani, bamboo less agarbathi, and masala incense, thereby expanding the portfolio of the traditional agarbathi seller.
In addition to these innovations, Cycle has also ventured into aromacology-focused products with the launch of its ‘IRIS Home Fragrances’ brand in 2008, followed by the introduction of ‘Stop-O’ and ‘Karpure’ post- COVID.
Recalling Cycle’s journey into personal care, Arjun M. Ranga, Managing Partner at N. Ranga Rao & Sons and Managing Director at Cycle Pure Agarbathi, stated, “We anticipated the growing significance of aromacology and its impact on home fragrance and well-being from a lifestyle perspective.
This motivated us to create lifestyle home fragrances under ‘Iris’, a separate brand from Cycle that sells scented candles, vaporisers, incense, fragrant sachets, potpourri, and refill oils.”
“Later, we noticed a demand for fragrances in personal spaces, which led us to create tailored products for these areas,” he said. However, Cycle’s focus was primarily on odor masking, which resulted in the launch of ‘Stop-O’, a brand specifically designed for fighting and eliminating odors.
Under ‘Stop-O’, Cycle developed a range of cleaning products, including floor cleaners, car and home deodorizers, and glass cleaners, he noted.
Cycle further expanded its offerings by introducing ‘Karpure’, a brand that sells mosquito repellents, fragrance pouches, sachets, room fresheners, vaporizers, pain balms, and hand wash, along with deodorants under the name ‘DNA Deo On the Go’. Furthermore, it introduced dishwashing products under the brand name ‘Gavi’.
While the puja room brand views product diversification as an essential tool, its core mission remains the same, emphasised Ranga. “The strategy continues to be customer-first, customer-centric, with value delivery at the center. If the product is not differentiated in any way from what is already available in the market, we would not launch it at all,” he asserted
The personal and home care portfolio of Cycle includes a clientele that comprises Home Center, Walmart, and Decathlon, and the company expects the new range of products to contribute significantly to its revenue.
“As the country continues to develop and urbanize, we’re seeing an increase in traction. However, I believe we are still some way off from these products becoming a significant part of our business because agarbathi is predominantly used for prayer, while the other products are lifestyle-related and not used regularly. As these products start to be used daily rather than occasionally, we anticipate seeing an immediate uptick,” Ranga explained.