MARKETING IS ESSENTIAL FOR NEW BRANDS: ROHIT PORWAL
Raja Gulab Brand Is Popular across Indore and Several States
Today, Indore, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru are major hubs of India’s agarbatti industry. Bengaluru is the leading producer of premium agarbatti and dhoop, while Indore has been a large-scale agarbatti manufacturing centre for several decades. It is often said that agarbatti is made in almost every household in Indore. In a way, agarbatti manufacturing is one of the city’s major cottage industries. Alongside companies with leading pan-India brands, the city has many large domestic and local manufacturers whose products are supplied not only locally but also throughout Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states. Among them is the Raja Gulab agarbatti brand of Indore-based firm Chandmal Lekhraj Porwal, which supplies products to Gujarat and Maharashtra besides Madhya Pradesh. The firm’s proprietor, Mr Rohit Porwal, also manages distribution of several brands from Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, apart from his own brand. In a conversation with Sugandh India, Mr Porwal said that he has been manufacturing Raja Gulab products since 1957. Raja Gulab has around 125 product ranges, including agarbatti, wet dhoop, dry sticks and camphor.
In response to a question from Sugandh India, Mr Porwal explained that, alongside manufacturing Raja Gulab products, he has also been handling agencies for other companies from the beginning. These include Gujarat-based Lohana Industries, Poojan Agarbatti, Kamdhenu and Nirali. He also procures loose masala agarbatti. Answering another question, he said that Raja Gulab products are priced between ₹5 and ₹500. Loose agarbatti and pouches are very popular here. Besides pouches, dozen-packs are also sold in rural and urban areas. He added that some products are also outsourced. Raja Gulab has a very good market, with Chandan and Kewra being its best-selling fragrances. Both natural and fancy fragrances are in high demand.
In response to another question, he said that although Bhopal is the capital of Madhya Pradesh, Indore is the centre of the state’s commercial and business activities. Therefore, the city has customers for both quality and quantity-oriented products. Branded products also sell in Indore, but locally manufactured products and loose agarbatti are widely used. He added that premium Karnataka brands such as Balaji, Padmini and Bharat Darshan, along with Mumbai-based Hem, also sell well here. Cycle has its own depot, while Avon also has a good market. Alongside these brands, local brands are popular too. He explained that zipper packs, jumbo packs and 3₹50 packs sell the most here. Packs with an MRP of ₹5 and ₹10, containing fewer incense sticks, are more popular around temples. Overall, the demand for family packs has increased.
Mr Porwal told Sugandh India that agarbatti accounts for 50% of the Indore market, while bamboo-less dhoop products make up the other 50%. Wet dhoop and dry sticks have an equal market share. In wet dhoop, Gujarat-based Parin sells particularly well. Camphor is also widely used in the Indore market. Among branded products, Saraswati is popular, while local brands account for the largest share. The attar market here is exceptionally strong, with an attar shop found after every three or four shops. In Chandan Tika, Hari Darshan and Safal are popular. When Sugandh India asked what he considers essential for a distributor to help a new brand succeed, he said that distributors are generally reluctant to take up agencies and distribution for new companies immediately. First, a new company must market its products effectively. Only when demand for a product begins to emerge in the market do distributors start considering taking up its agency.
