Strong Fragrances in Demand in Kolhapur:Shiv kumar Sudesh Chauhan
Geetanjali Earns Distinct Identity in BothManufacturing & Trading
Sudesh Perfumery Works and Geetanjali Agarbatti Company have carved aniche in both manufacturing and trading of incense, dhoop, camphor, andrelated products in Kolhapur. Under Sudesh Perfumery Works, the companyproduces agarbatti under the Geetanjali brand along with dhoop, dry sticks,cones, and camphor. Meanwhile, Geetanjali Agarbatti Company handlestrading for around 40 brands across Kolhapur.
In an exclusive conversation with SugandhIndia, Mr. Shivkumar Sudesh Chauhan, thehead of the company, shared, “My grandfatherstarted the incense business in 1972. He usedto bring agarbattis from Bengaluru and supplythem to shops in towns and villages using abicycle. Eventually, we felt the need to startour own production, and the first productlaunched under the name Geetanjali becamehighly popular—even gaining recognition inBengaluru.”
On advice from family andbusiness associates, theyofficially registered GeetanjaliAgarbatti in 1982, makingit the first incense brand inMaharashtra to receivecorporate registration.
In response to questions from SugandhIndia, Shivkumar explained that their incenseproducts range from ₹5 to ₹100 in the premiumsegment. The company manufactures agarbatti,dhoop, dry sticks, cones, and camphor. Theirproducts are widely distributed across Kolhapurand the Konkan region. While Geetanjaliremains their flagship brand,Swaraj agarbatti isalso quite popular.
Expanding Partnership Opportunities
Under Hardik’s leadership, Jyoti Productshas built a robust distribution networkwith super stockists, dealers, anddistributors across various states. Heextended an invitation to enthusiasticpartners who wish to join this growingnetwork. ”We offer premium products,competitive pricing, dedicated support,and marketing assistance to our partners,”Hardik shared. He encouraged thoselooking to build a successful business inthe incense industry to connect with JyotiProducts.
As the incense market evolves, JyotiProducts continues to uphold its legacy offragrance and trust while embracinginnovation. With Hardik Brahmbhatt atthe helm, the company is well poised forsustained growth and deeper marketpenetration.
He observed that Kolhapur consumers havea preference for strong fragrances—just liketheir love for spicy food. Mild fragrances likerose aren’t as popular, but kewda and mogra,regardless of the brand, sell very well. Theirbrand Charlie, which has a strong aroma, is alsoa local favourite. The Shree Dev Pooja Camphorbrand by the company is widely used acrossKolhapur and other districts in Maharashtra.He added that among the top three camphorbrands in the Kolhapur market are OK, Rajkala,and their own Shree Dev Pooja.
On the incense market in Kolhapur,Shivkumar noted that 70% is dominated byagarbatti and30% by dhoop, with dry sticksgaining popularity—particularly among Jainconsumers. While the use of bamboo in incensehas been a point of debate, more traditionalconsumers are now accepting it, leading to aresurgence in agarbatti usage.
When asked about the company’s tradingoperations, Shivkumar said their first tradingpartnerships were with Cycle and Dankaagarbatti. They now hold distribution for ShreeTrading Company, Misbah, Topsi, and multiplebrands from AR Industries. In total, they holdagency rights for 40 brands, some exclusiveto Kolhapur and others covering the entiredistrict.
Kolhapur has 40 talukas, and Geetanjali’ssupply network reaches around 1,000 outletsincluding agarbatti counters, provision stores,supermarkets, and general stores. The market,he said, consists of 50% economy products,with the remaining 50% split evenly betweenmedium and premium categories. For templeuse, consumers typically buy ₹5–₹10 packs,while for home use, the same customers prefer₹50 and higher zipper packs.
In terms of bestsellers, Shivkumar listed ShreeTrading, Misbah, Balaji, Forest, Ullas, and ZedBlack as the most popular incense brands. ₹10and ₹50 packs are the top sellers in agarbatti. Inwet dhoop, Shridhan, Topsi, Pioneer (Jaipur),and Zed Black Manthan are in high demand.Premium product demand is growing quickly.In dry sticks, the GT brand leads. Sambranicups of incense brands are all over the market.
He added that in the camphor category, the topbrands are OK, Rajkala, and Shree Dev Pooja.In sandalwood tilak, Manohar is the top choice,especially in yellow and orange paste forms. Onaverage, a customer in Kolhapur spends ₹500 to₹600 per month, and 6 out of 10 customers askspecifically by brand name.
