02 Sep Divyastra Aiming for Pan India
–DPB Products will set up a wide network of distributors across North, South, and Northeast India along with depots: Bhavit Malhotra
Divyastra, a fast-growing brand in the dhoop and agarbatti industry from the house of DPB Products, Gujarat is now aiming to go pan India by 2024. The company currently has markets across Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Bhavit Malhotra, one of the company heads, told Sugandha India that the company is working fast to expand the reach of Divyastra brand products from North to South and till Northeast. For this, the company’s is opening depots across various locations across the country, and deploying a team of salesmen with a vast network of distributors.
Dream to set up own brand
DPB Products was established in the year 2015. Bhavit Malhotra told that his grandfather was into trading in the agarbatti industry. With a dream to create his own brand he was also into making handmade agarbattis. Turning this dream into reality, Bhavit’s uncle Shri Dharamveer Malhotra Ji started DPB Products and is currently expanding the business along with the third generation of family, Bhavit and Pawan Malhotra.
Production to marketing expertise
In 2015, the company created its own brand under the name of Divyastra. Bhavit Malhotra tells the story of how Divyastra as a brand came into existence. After alot of research they came up with a name with was inspired from his sister’s name Divya along with one of the ten weapons of Maa Durga Devi, known as Divyastra. On asking about his qualifications, Bhavit Malhotra told that he is a civil engineer with a work experience in various projects of Indian Oil while his brother Pawan Malhotra is an MBA and now they both look after the family business.
Bhavit Malhotra told that his vision is to compete with the quality of top brands. We are working on quality, price and scheme in the market. He told that his father has already been active in marketing field. This helped in taking the Divyastra brand to other states. Him and his uncle Dharamveer Malhotra look after the production and finance while his brother Pawan does marketing and sales.
Product Range
Responding to a query, he said that as of now around Divyastra has 300 products across different segments ranging from₹5 to ₹100. Our main brands are Divyastra, Keshav and Three in One.
We also have wet and dry dhoop, cone and sambrani cup. Apart from this, we also be bringing Havan samagri, pooja oil, and camphor. Speaking on the new trends in the industry, he said that fruity and perfume fragrances have also been introduced and Divyastra is preparing to foray into herbal and organic products.
Competition
On Divyastra’s strategy to take an edge over the big companies in other states, he said that currently there are around 100 salesmen across the states where we supply. along with rapid hiring is also being done in new states. Around 80 and 90 distributors have been set up in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Divyastra plans to expand Pan India and then Abroad by 2024. He told that his father has a vast marketing experience across north and north east regions. Therefore, in the beginning, more emphasis has been given to those states.
Varied demand across different states
In response to a question, he said that the demand for fragrance varies from state to state. In some states, premium products have a good market while some states, the customers prefer economic products more. Just as premium runs in Kolkata, economic and medium range products run in Uttar Pradesh. The same products do not run in every state. If the market of ₹ 10 is more in Uttar Pradesh, then there is a different price segment in Bengal. This is the reason why we are currently researching on the demandpreference of all the states on a large scale. For example, in Haryana, dhoop products have a greater market, so the reason has to be found why is it so? Who is selling the dhoop and how? In this way, in the coming 2 years, the company is doing research on Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat to see what they need and then what we should provide there.
Logistics a major issue
In the context of the challenges faced by the industry, Pawan Malhotra pointed out that the demand for incense sticks in South Indian states or even the remotest states in the Northeast are increasing rapidly, but the logistics cost is very high. There is stiff competition from big companies and local producers are also a challenge. We are now preparing for the next two-three years. We have to see how the market is between the scheme of big companies and the local producers. To deal with the problem of logistics, big companies have set up their depots in every state. If goods are to be transported from Gujarat to South India, North India and Northeast, then depots will have to be built.He said that there are plans to open depots in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and South India.
Focus on rural markets
In response to a question, he said that in terms of incense sticks, there is a huge demand in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The population here is also very high. The consumption of dhoop is increasing in rural areas. This is the reason why Divyastra has focused more on small towns and rural areas. Metro cities are tougher than smaller cities and rural areas.Also, 80% of the country’s population lives in small districts and rural areas.
Future plans
In response to a question, he said that we are not focusing only on incense sticks. Apart from dhoop and incense sticks, there are plans to launch many new products. Also, we are working on perfume and beauty care products for online market.
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