Market visibility is key to success, says Siddhant Jain

Safal Industries, a manufacturer of agarbattis and prayer materials, currently offers over 650 popular products in the market. These include agarbatti, dhoop sticks, wet and dry dhoop, bamboo-less agarbatti, Ashtagandha sandalwood tilak, perfumes (itra), camphor (Kapoor), Loban, cotton wicks, havan materials, ubtan, mosquito-repellent agarbatti, and other herbal products. The Safal brand alone boasts 450 different agarbatti varieties. In an interview with *Sugandh India*, one of the company’s leaders, Shri Siddhant Sunil Kumar Jain, confirmed that all products are manufactured in-house. The company’s key markets include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, with additional presence in Tatanagar, Cuttack, and other major cities. Safal products are also exported to Dubai and three to four different countries through third-party distributors. Having successfully operated in the agarbatti industry for nearly two decades, Safal’s journey into this business has been marked by numerous challenges.

From Nagpur to all across Maharashtra
Siddhant Sunil Kumar Jain revealed in an interview that his family hails from Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh, where his father worked in the FMCG sector. After receiving an offer from Rajkamal Industries in Indore, his father decided to take the opportunity and began collaborating with the company. Later, Shri Prakash Ji from Zed Black suggested his father enter the agarbatti business in Vidarbha. Siddhant’s mother was from Nagpur, and to expand the business, his father considered relocating to either Bhopal or Indore. However, following advice from relatives and acquaintances, the family moved to Nagpur, marking their shift from FMCG to the agarbatti industry. At that time, there were few distributors in the agarbatti market, but this rapidly changed as the market grew, along with the increase in manufacturers and distributors. In addition to the agarbatti business, his father launched a camphor product, *Shrifal*, under SK Traders in 1998, named after his mother. They were also supplying Zed Black products in Vidarbha. By 2002-03, their business expanded beyond Nagpur to the entire Vidarbha region and other parts of Maharashtra, as Zed Black offered them the opportunity to operate across the state. Over the following years, they took on the distribution of 35-40 other companies, while continuing to grow the camphor business.

From Camphor to Prayer Essentials
In response to a question from *Sugandh India*, Mr Jain shared the story behind the start of their camphor (Kapoor) production. He explained that a bank had seized camphor manufacturing machines, and knowing that his father was involved in the agarbatti business, the bank manager offered them for purchase. His father bought three machines and began production. From 2005 onwards, their company expanded into manufacturing prayer materials, including Ashtagandha sandalwood tilak, cotton wicks (ruibatti), havan materials, perfumes (itr), and more. Siddhant joined the business after completing his studies in 2011. He noticed the rapid growth of the agarbatti market, with Bengaluru emerging as a major hub for premium products and Ahmedabad also expanding quickly. Recognising these trends, the company ventured into agarbatti manufacturing. Before this, their camphor supply had already grown significantly in Gujarat, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Siddhant’s younger brother, Safal, an engineering graduate, chose to join the manufacturing side instead of pursuing a job. He conducted in-depth research in manufacturing, and together, the brothers explored innovations, drawing inspiration from the Amrutha Aromatic as their role model.

Expanding into Aroma Chemical supply
Mr Jain explained that extensive research into the agarbatti industry was not necessary for their company, as they had already been providing research services on new products, quality, and marketing to other manufacturers. They had built strong relationships with customers and companies, often offering product suggestions and new ideas. When his brother, Safal, began production, they encountered a well-known agarbatti company in Nagpur under theBhutal Pandya brand. The owner, relocating to Canada, proposed selling his entire business. After careful consideration, they decided to purchase the company. They then registered their trademark and acquired a new registration. During this time, they continued researching fragrances and chemicals, even learning how to create perfumes themselves. For the past six to seven years, they have been manufacturing Aroma chemicals and are planning to start supplying to the industry soon. They are specifically focused on developing the compounds used in fragrance production. Mr Jain also mentioned that at the time, raw agarbatti were imported from Vietnam. However, a ban on these imports disrupted their production for several months. Eventually, local vendors began supplying raw sticks, but quality issues arose in the market. This led them to start manufacturing raw agarbattis in-house.

Safal brand has global presence
In response to a question about the quality of the Safal brand, Mr Jain revealed that they ventured into producing hand-made masala agarbattis, a product typically made in Bengaluru, and launched it within their premium range. They also manufacture base agarbattis, which, according to him, are of superior quality compared to those from Bengaluru. He credited his brother, Safal, for this achievement, acknowledging his extensive work in chemicals, fragrances, and compounds. Their products have even gained recognition abroad. Mr Jain shared an anecdote from 2019 when their family visited Dubai and discovered their brand being sold in a shop, supplied by distributors they were unaware of. This prompted them to establish connections with export companies, and today they export their products to three or four countries. In response to another question, Mr Jain stated that Safal agarbattis are available in a price range starting from ₹10, extending to premium offerings. He emphasised that all their products are of the highest quality. While it is common for some products in a company’s portfolio to perform better than others, he asserted that all their products are equally popular due to the consistent focus on quality across their entire range.

The demand of Safal exceeds its supply
In response to Sugandh India’s question about why only a few products tend to sell the most for most companies, Sunil Kumar Jain explained that their perfumes, such as Lavender, Musk, Sugandh, 3-in-1, Artiv and Ek Tara, feature unique, in-house developed compounds. These proprietary compounds are unmatched by any other company’s products. Two years ago, fragrances like Gulab Ki Kali, Varsha Yog, Safal Oud, and Jungle Wood were launched, and they have been selling exceptionally well. Mr Jain mentioned that they discontinued trading long ago as their own business grew significantly. The demand for their products has been increasing rapidly, and at times, they struggle to meet supply deadlines. He also shared an interesting incident where their products were being sold in places where they do not officially supply. Recently, his father’s friend visited Ayodhya and brought back a packet of their product, despite the fact they don’t distribute it in that region. He believes this incident reflects the widespread popularity of their brand.

Market visibility leads to sales
In response to a question from Sugandh India about the challenges in the industry, Sunil Kumar Jain acknowledged that every business comes with its own set of challenges. For their company, production must align with market demands, which vary significantly by state and region due to differing consumer preferences. He highlighted that there are constant innovations in the perfume segment, while quality, pricing, and packaging are rapidly evolving. He noted the growing trend of gift pack boxes in the market and explained that when premium agarbattis are priced at ₹1,000 for 50 grams, maintaining the highest quality is crucial. Without this, customers will not repurchase the product. Mr Jain also pointed out that the “Arabic mode” is gaining popularity in India. Once preferred in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, these strong fragrances are now becoming increasingly popular domestically. Furthermore, he observed that the demand for Sambrani cups and bamboo-less products is rising swiftly. Despite these new trends, traditional agarbattis continue to maintain their market position and will remain relevant. Both affordable and premium products are performing well and will continue to do so. Looking ahead, Mr Jain expressed optimism about the industry’s future. He stated that success depends on consistent visibility in the market. A brand can only succeed if it has a strong presence, with manufacturers maintaining direct contact with the market. Without this visibility, even the best-quality products will struggle to sustain or gain traction.