Premium Incense Market Growing in Kolkata: Dulal Poddar
Kolkata has a unique taste in fragrances, preferring special and distinct scents. The market was historically dominated by economy and medium-priced products. However, demand for products priced at ₹50 and above is now rising. Ramesh Chandra Poddar Banamali Poddar Firm has been in the incense business for around 65 years. In a conversation with Sugandh India, Dulal Poddar said they are promoting premium products in Kolkata. Earlier, products priced below ₹50 sold more, but now higher-priced box packs are gaining traction.
He said zipper packs have a large market but lack quality. Many customers buy zipper packs because they are cheap and offer more quantity, but a growing segment is shifting toward premium products because they want full value for whatever they spend. Products priced at ₹50 and above offer superior quality and quantity.
Dulal Poddar shared that his grandfather had a large business but suffered heavy losses due to natural disasters. His friends and astrologers advised him to run a business involving black-colored items. At that time, iron and incense were both considered “black items.” Since iron required heavy capital, his grandfather started the incense business in 1959 from his home. Later in 1991, they set up a shop and office in Ganguly Lane, Kolkata.
Over the years, they took agencies for brands like Gujarat Agarbatti, Padma Perfumery, Y Basappa, Anant, Mahabharat, Bengaluru’s Agarbatti, Pune’s Gayatri, Good Luck, Oswal, Alaukik (Rajkot), Vakratund, Jai Bhavani, Ratnamala, and many others—about 30 companies in total.
Their distribution network covers the entire South Bengal, with 3–4 distributors in each district and around 100 distributors in total. They do not export directly to Bangladesh as they lack an export license, butother suppliers purchase from them and export. Alaukik is the top-selling brand in Bangladesh.
In Kolkata, the best-selling brands include Bharat Darshan, Darshan International, Zed Black, Shalimar, Cycle, ITC, Forest, Balaji, and Parimal Mandir. The ₹25 pouch sells the most, especially from Rajkamal and Shalimar.
He said the dhoop market is small, though bamboo-less products are growing. Still, incense sticks maintain a 90% share. Bamboo-less products— mostly dry dhoop—have a 10% share. Wet dhoop has a lower fragrance, which people do not prefer. In wet dhoop, Zed Black, Denim’s Puja Path, and Rocket are popular. Hari Darshan and Dev Darshan also have a market. Sambrani cup demand is rising, with Cycle’s Naivedya, Delta, Vijay, Pioneer, Forest’s Bahubali, and Chennai’s GT doing well.
Sandal tika demand is rising, with brands like Cycle, Hari Darshan, and Manohar Ashtagandha doing well. Attar and roll-on markets are also growing. In premium, Balaji sells the most, followed by Orke. In budget range, Arsi’s Black Horse is popular.
Both retail and wholesale operations run well. There is brand loyalty—Bharat Darshan, Shalimar, Parimal Mandir, and Ratna Mala are remembered by name. About 7–8 out of 10 customers buy by brand name.
He shared that this year’s festive season was short—starting in September and ending in October—because Durga Puja arrived early. Hence, all festivals ended by October. Still, the incense market is growing rapidly and will continue to grow.
