Global demand for S Mansukhlal & Company’s Guggul-Loban – Dhoop
Our focus is our strength in Natural quality: Mehul Parekh
Guggul and Loban are an essential ingredient across various industries including, fragrance, pharma, ayurveda and cosmetics. For the incense industry too, it is an important raw material. Mumbai based S. Mansukhlal and Company is a prominent name dealing in Guggul, Dhoop and Loban. Mr. Mehul Parekh, Head of S. MansukhLal & Company, Mumbai, in an exclusive conversation with Sugandh India, said that challenges have increased in the market for Guggal and Loban and Dhoop products, the reason being a plethora of cheap products. Guggal and Loban and dhoop are basically unbranded products and their quality can only be judged after the use. In such a situation, S Mansukhlal and Company not only sells quality products but also makes the consumer aware about the quality and the price they are paying. This makes sure that the customer gets the value for their money.
S Mansukhlal & Company has been in this business for 80 years. The company mainly deals in Guggal, Dhoop and Loban. Dhoop is also called Olibanum/ Frankincense or Issas and its scientific name being Boswellia Serrata while Loban is also known as Luban / Jaavi / Gum benzoin. Carrying on the legacy of 80 years, Mr. Mehul Parekh, a third-generation entrepreneur, informed that his grandfather started this business with Gopi Chandan, 80 years ago. Then his father Mr. Subhash Mansukhlal Parekh expanded the business, noticing the global demand for Boswellia serrata aka Loban, he started dealing in it. Mehul further informed that this product requires a particular license for global trade which only a few companies have and his company is one of them. He has all the necessary documents and certifications required for exports. He added that Dhoop product is also known as gum olibanum in Europe and it has high demand there. In the USA, it is known as Frankincense and Loban in the Middle East and gulf. The company produces both edible and burning Loban and supplies it almost all over the Globe.Mr. Mehul remarked that the demand for loban & Guggul is increasing rapidly in the market of cosmetics, Pharma, Ayurvedic medicines and perfumery Industry. Apart from this, it is also one the main raw materials used for the agarbatti industry and especially in masala agarbatti.
Mr.Mehul also said that for Sugandh India that we have been producing Bakhoor for the last six years and in all types of various shapes such as coins, chips and candy bars. The company is into private branding work as well. The company has Devika Guggal as a popular brand and produces all kinds of guggal from edible to Ayurvedic and burning. The company produces 100% pure Hawan samagri and vermillion (sindhoor). Apart from this, pure Kumkum is also in the portfolio. Gopi Chandan is our old product, which is fast selling. S. Mansukhlal and company wholesale of Bhasma, Vibhuti and all puja related products. Recently the company has launched Natural Sambrani Cup, of a very premium quality.
In response to the question related to marketing of the products, Mr.Mehul said that apart from B2B and B2C, he also sells online via Amazon and Flipkart. However, the company is focusing more on B2B. In response to a question, he said that this business is full of challenges since loban is an unbranded product and therefore the market is full of cheap products that are low on quality. The only way to determine the quality is to burn it. Low quality products produce unpleasant fragrance. High competition has led to a plethora of cheap products in both offline and online markets. He added that the company’s entire focus is on quality and to sell goods worth ₹ 100 to ₹ 500 to the customers. Apart from this, no matter whether the customer is small or big, we provide him with complete information about the quality of the product so that our brand can become “Value for Money” and affordable luxury product for the end customer.
Mr. Mehul Parekh, informing about his B2C products said that other than Bakhoor, Dhoop, Loban, Guggal, Sambrani Cup and Agarbatti products are also supplied in a small branded packaging in B2C. The products are available in attractive packaging in major super markets. The company products enjoy brisk sales in pan-India. We have an overseas presence across US, Middle East, Latin America, UK, Spain, Germany and France. Bulk of our exports are raw-materials for the perfume industry and also for burning as Incense. He said that two of our loban brands Butterfly brand and Laxmi Loban are registered and our in-house production facility has a capacity of producing 2 tonnes of goods every day.
Mr. Parekh concluded the conversation saying that the company is aiming to brand Loban and Guggal related products. They also have made hawan samagri, which is handmade and has the aroma of Ayurvedic herbs. The company is concentrating on increasing the product line into Natural resin incense and category of natural cow dung and many other series of Incense.
