Ahmedabad-Bengaluru quality drives Satara’s premium incense market: Satish Agashe, Satej Home Links
Satara, Maharashtra: Satej Home Links, a key supplychain firm specialising in incense and fragrance products,continues to power its wholesale and retail distributionnetwork. The company, led by Satish Dattatreya Agashe, hasestablished itself as a major player in the premium segmentof the incense market. Speaking to Sugandh India, Agashehighlighted that high-quality products dominate consumerdemand in Satara, particularly zipper-packed incensesticks from Ahmedabad and black incense products fromBengaluru. He noted that Bengaluru remains the leadingsupplier of masala-based incense sticks, further reinforcingits stronghold in the segment. Despite the presence of majornational brands, products from Bengaluru and Ahmedabadcontinue to command a significant share of the market.
Founded in 2009, Satej Home Link has steadily expanded its operations. Before launching the firm, Agashe used to sell incense products on bicycle. His business journey began with brands like Ullas and Big Safari, gradually incorporating35 to 40 companies into the distribution portfolio. Some of the notable brands now handled by Satej HomeLink include Nikhil, Rocket, Forest, Acharya, Jhinal, Oswal(Pune), Live Touch (Ahmedabad), arsi, First Choice, Samiksha’s Yogeshwari, and Dhanlakshmi. The firm has also expanded into dhoop and sandalwood products, managing well-known brands such as Pandyas and Lakshmi in dhoop and Manohar Sugandhi’s Ashtagandha in sandalwood. Additionally, it distributes incense products from Bengaluru’s Kaveri, Punjab’s Cone, Mumbai’s Leo,and Pune’s Mahi, reinforcing its diverse portfolio across multiple regions. With a strong presence in wholesale and retail, Satej
Home Link continues to cater to premium buyers, capitalising on the growing demand for high-quality incense and fragrance products. Satej Home Link has extended its distribution network beyond Satara to include Ahmednagar and Sangli, according to the company’s head, Satish Agashe. He stated that most of their customers are street vendors who purchase products in bulk.
Speaking to Sugandh India, Agashe highlighted that the Satara market remains a strong hub for incense, dhoop, and religious worship materials. Incense sticks accounts for 60 per cent of total sales, while the remaining 40 per cent consists of wet dhoop, drysticks, and sambrani cups. While all brands perform well in theregion, Oswal, First Choice, Nikhil, and Forest are the highest selling products in his market. Premium-quality incense remainsin higher demand, with ₹100 premium brands leading sales.
However, ₹50 zipper packs sell the most. He also noted that ₹10packets are no longer in demand, while some ₹20 products still see Ahmedabad-Bengaluru quality drives Satara’s premium incense market: Satish Agashe, Satej Home Links moderate sales. The demand for wet dhoop remains strong in theregion, with brands such as Forest, ZED Black, Vidhan, and Rocket leading sales, according to Satish Agashe of Satej Home Link.Products with an MRP of ₹20 and ₹30 perform well in this segment.In the dry stick category, brands priced at ₹40 dominate the market,with Oswal being the top-selling brand. Agashe stated that despite Satara being just two hours from Pune— The Pune market does not impact economy products. The market leans towards premium products, whereas demand in Satara is relatively lower.
However,premium products continue to perform well in retail and whole salesales. He further explained that in the dry dhoop category, 6-inchproducts priced at ₹50 are in higher demand. A pack of 20 kaadi is available for ₹50. Larger-sized variants, known as bamboo-less products, present a challenge in the market since some consumers prefer not to burn bamboo. However, he reassures customers that bamboo is considered sacred and is traditionally used in construction.
The dhoop and agarbatti market remains strong in Satara, with branded products driving sales. According to Satish Agashe, apart from Oswal, First Choice, Nikhil, Forest, and other brands offering quality products enjoy good sales. Additionally, there is steady demand for Cycle Pure, ZED Black, and ITC’s Mangaldeep. Agashe noted that the primary sales period for incense products runs from July to January, after which demand declines significantly.
In the camphor segment, OK, Mahi, and Leo are the top-selling brands, while Bhimseni remains the most preferred despite theavailability of cheaper alternatives. Manohar’s Ashtagandha and Hari Darshan continue to see high demand in the Chandan Tikasegment. He further stated that six out of ten customers specifically request products by brand name. At their retail shop, Oswal andForest are the most sought-after brands. On average, a customer spends around ₹1,000 on dhoop and agarbatti products, while premium buyers make purchases ranging from ₹3,000 to ₹4,000.
