4
EPAPER.JUSTBUYLIVETIMES.COM | NATIONAL EDITION -22 | JUNE 13, 2016 | PAGES 4 | FREE SUBSCRIPTION JUST BUY LIVE ENTERPRISE PVT.LTD. | EST.2015 | JUSTBUYLIVE.COM Give a missed call on 1800-267-2000 To install the Just Buy app JUST BUY LIVE TIMES Tips & Tricks Secrets to attracting customers and building your business 3 Retailer Spotlight: Maru Stores 4 Brand Speak: Janus Life Sciences 4 Patanjali Ayurveda is not just another new player in the FMCG market but a new phenomenon that is ‘chang- ing the flavour of the mar- ket’. This phenomenon has flexed its way into the market like a yoga expert posing a very difficult asana and sur- prising many by the very impossibility of its muscle movements. FMCG analysts say this ‘changed flavour’ is making many established players look up and consid- er their product mix afresh to bring in a dose of Ayurveda and herbal. Undoubtedly, Hindustan Unilever, P&G, Nestle, ITC, Britannia, and Dabur are the FMCG market leaders. Still the experts and industry players are surprised at the rapid rise of the relatively new company without much support from heavy-duty advertising, and creation of a highly sophisticated man- agement structure to succeed. In a recent ‘Dukandaron Ke Din’ Maha Margin sale organised by Just Buy Live the popularity of the Pa- tanjali products got further confirmation, as hundreds of retailers across Mumbai bought the products to meet the demands of their custom- ers. Arif Shahabuddin Pre- mani, owner of 2,500-square feet Prabhat Grahak Bazar, located at Dadar, bought several Patanjali products through the Margin sale said to Just Buy Live Times that the products have been find- ing big favours with many of his customers. One can see the Patanja- li effect visibly everywhere these days. Patanjali hoard- ings are all over the Mum- bai city; there are Patanjali Chikitsalayas (treatment cen- tres) everywhere. Patanjali is on TV and even in newspa- pers. Yet Patanjali’s advertis- ing is of low-cost variety that has helped it keep its product prices very reasonable. And then large part of its promo- tion has happened through ‘word of mouth’. What distinguishes Patanjali advertising from many others is its bold, straight-on price compar- isons with the immediate competitors’ products, be it for its facewash, or its cow ghee or toothpaste, hair oil or detergent powder. And for a price-sensitive market like India, this was a spot-on smart move, as it motivat- ed consumers to try out the products. The tour-de-force be- hind the whole advertising campaign and also the en- tire Patanjali ‘phenomenon’ of course is Baba Ramdev, the popular yoga guru, who has won over thousands of devotees all over India and outside of India through his open-air yoga sessions and imparting of knowledge on yoga and ‘life in general’. Some experts say that it is Baba Ramdev’s magic that is working for Patanjali prod- ucts. “But if the products were not good, it would not have worked,” counters Ajay Thakur, an FMCG sector an- alyst with Anand Rathi Secu- rities to Just Buy Live Times. It is well known by now that Future Group’s Big Bazaar has tied-up with Patanjali. But today, more and more common retail- ers have begun stocking Patanjali products and ‘that is the real success.’ “I have started keep- ing the Patanjali products since the last six months. Patanjali’s toothpaste, ghee, honey and soap really move fast off the shelf. And be- cause I see customers in my store, I can say that they have actually shifted to Patanjali now,” said Raghu Ambavi Patel of Food Mart located at Koparkhairne to Just Buy Live Times. In Kandivali East, several stores including many medical and general stores have begun keeping and prominently displaying Patanjali products. “It has become intrinsic part of life now. When I stock out, I have to quickly order and many a times I use Just Buy App to do that,” said Arif Shahabud- din of the Prabhat Grahak. “There have been Ayurveda products earlier too but except a few most could not make an impres- sive cut with the consumers. Patanjali brought in good daily-use products at rea- sonableprices and that was a big differentiator,” said Ajay Thakur of Anand Rathi Securities. Today, Patanjali Ayurveda manufactures over 400 different types of FMCG products in- cluding 45 different types of personal care and 30 types of various food products. All of the Patanjali products have the herbal and Ayurveda base. This has a natural synergy with teachings of yoga under the aegis of Patanjali Yoga Peeth based in Haridwar in Uttrakhand. Patanjali’s production facility is also based in Haridwar, in the close vicinity of its yoga training center. “The entire FMCG mar- ket is to a great extent veer- ing towards more Ayurve- da-based products today and this certainly is a reaction to the Patanjali effect,” said Ajay Thakur of the Anand Rathi Securities. According to the analysts there is a perception that Pa- tanjali is not run by hired- for-the-job professionals but run by people who actually believe in the philosophy embodied in the phenome- non and that is working for it. As per reports, in the last two years, Patanjali Ayurveda has been growing faster than any other FMCG company in India. Its total turnover which stood at around Rs. 2,500 crore in 2014-15, doubled to Rs. 5,000 crore in 2015- 16 and is projected to rise to Rs. 7000 crore in 2016-2017. In 2010-11, its revenues were just over Rs. 300 crore. “And Patanjali is not driven just by curiosity and novelty factors. It is here to stay,” said the FMCG Sector analyst. According to a few re- ports published in leading newspapers, Patanjali has 15,000 exclusive outlets, and over 5000 franchise all over India. It sources its raw supplies directly from farm- ers and its own farmlands that helps it keep the pro- duction costs low. According to a write-up in the Yahoo! Finance India section, the company aims to have over 1,00,000 exclusive outlets in the next few years. “But it’s not just about the numbers. It’s actually tap- ping into the rising conscious- ness over health and increas- ing inclination towards using non-chemical based natural/ herbal products,” said another FMCG sector equity analyst with a reputed equity research firm to Just Buy Live times. According to him, Patanja- li’s entry into the market has happened at the cusp of the major lifestyle changes that many in India are consciously adapting. “Patanjali has been able to demonstrate that regular products too can be Ayurve- da-based. Who would have thought detergent powders could flaunt that they contain the goodness of Ayurveda,” he added. Reputed business col- umnist and writer Indrajeet Gupta has brought out a very interesting point that gives a deeper explanation to the phenomenal rise of Patanjali. He has quoted Damodar Mall, a consum- er behavior expert, saying “consumers like contempo- rary things that spring from their cultural identity.” That, he says, also explains why ‘Shiva Triology’ by Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Pat- naik, the Indian mythology expert, are such big hits to- day. The rise of Patanjali too springs from the very same core. Indian consumers have now become more confident and proud of what is cultur- ally their own, be it Indian cuisines or Ayurveda or yoga or anything else. Of course, a nation that has the dubious distinction of having the highest number of diabetic people, and other health is- sues, certainly takes a prior- ity. And this is what Patanjali has been addressing. It has been telling people ‘take care of your health and don’t use chemical-based products that harm you’. It is not surprising that several FMCG leaders to- day are also trying to realign some of their products to this cultural core of India, trying to understand it more. The catapult in this change is certainly Patanjali Ayurveda that has cruised ahead bely- ing the current set of beliefs. The great Patanjali effect on FMCG Sector Sunita Malpani| [email protected]

JUST BUY LIVE ENTERPRISE PVT.LTD. | EST.2015| …epaper.justbuylivetimes.com/2016-06-13/pdf/english.pdf · Ajay Thakur of the Anand Rathi Securities. According to the analysts

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EPAPER.JUSTBUYLIVETIMES.COM | NATIONAL EDITION -22 | JUNE 13, 2016 | PAGES 4 | FREE SUBSCRIPTIONJUST BUY LIVE ENTERPRISE PVT.LTD. | EST.2015 | JUSTBUYLIVE.COM

Give a missed call on 1800-267-2000 To insta l l the Just Buy app

Brand Speak: - 4

JUST BUY LIVE TIMESTips & Tricks

Secrets to attracting customers and building your business 3Retailer Spotlight:

Maru Stores 4Brand Speak: Janus Life Sciences 4

Patanjali Ayurveda is not just another new player in the FMCG market but a new phenomenon that is ‘chang-ing the flavour of the mar-ket’. This phenomenon has flexed its way into the market like a yoga expert posing a very difficult asana and sur-prising many by the very impossibility of its muscle movements. FMCG analysts say this ‘changed flavour’ is making many established players look up and consid-er their product mix afresh to bring in a dose of Ayurveda and herbal.

Undoubtedly, Hindustan Unilever, P&G, Nestle, ITC, Britannia, and Dabur are the FMCG market leaders. Still the experts and industry players are surprised at the rapid rise of the relatively new company without much support from heavy-duty advertising, and creation of a highly sophisticated man-agement structure to succeed.

In a recent ‘Dukandaron Ke Din’ Maha Margin sale

organised by Just Buy Live the popularity of the Pa-tanjali products got further confirmation, as hundreds of retailers across Mumbai bought the products to meet the demands of their custom-ers.

Arif Shahabuddin Pre-mani, owner of 2,500-square feet Prabhat Grahak Bazar, located at Dadar, bought several Patanjali products through the Margin sale said to Just Buy Live Times that the products have been find-ing big favours with many of his customers.

One can see the Patanja-li effect visibly everywhere these days. Patanjali hoard-ings are all over the Mum-bai city; there are Patanjali Chikitsalayas (treatment cen-tres) everywhere. Patanjali is on TV and even in newspa-pers. Yet Patanjali’s advertis-ing is of low-cost variety that has helped it keep its product prices very reasonable. And then large part of its promo-tion has happened through ‘word of mouth’.

What distinguishes Patanjali advertising from many others is its bold, straight-on price compar-isons with the immediate competitors’ products, be it for its facewash, or its cow ghee or toothpaste, hair oil or detergent powder. And for a price-sensitive market like India, this was a spot-on smart move, as it motivat-ed consumers to try out the products.

The tour-de-force be-hind the whole advertising campaign and also the en-

tire Patanjali ‘phenomenon’ of course is Baba Ramdev, the popular yoga guru, who has won over thousands of devotees all over India and outside of India through his open-air yoga sessions and imparting of knowledge on yoga and ‘life in general’. Some experts say that it is Baba Ramdev’s magic that is working for Patanjali prod-ucts. “But if the products were not good, it would not have worked,” counters Ajay Thakur, an FMCG sector an-alyst with Anand Rathi Secu-rities to Just Buy Live Times.

It is well known by now that Future Group’s Big Bazaar has tied-up with Patanjali. But today, more and more common retail-ers have begun stocking Patanjali products and ‘that is the real success.’

“I have started keep-ing the Patanjali products

since the last six months. Patanjali’s toothpaste, ghee, honey and soap really move fast off the shelf. And be-cause I see customers in my

store, I can say that they have actually shifted to Patanjali now,” said Raghu Ambavi Patel of Food Mart located at Koparkhairne to Just Buy Live Times. In Kandivali East, several stores including many medical and general stores have begun keeping and prominently displaying

Patanjali products. “It has become intrinsic part of life now. When I stock out, I have to quickly order and many a times I use Just Buy App to do that,” said Arif Shahabud-din of the Prabhat Grahak.

“There have been Ayurveda products earlier too but except a few most could not make an impres-sive cut with the consumers. Patanjali brought in good daily-use products at rea-sonableprices and that was a

big differentiator,” said Ajay Thakur of Anand Rathi Securities.

Today, Patanjali Ayurveda manufactures over 400 different types of FMCG products in-cluding 45 different types of personal care and 30 types of various food products. All of the Patanjali products have the herbal and Ayurveda base. This has a natural synergy with teachings of yoga under the aegis of Patanjali Yoga Peeth based in Haridwar in Uttrakhand. Patanjali’s production facility is also

based in Haridwar, in the close vicinity of its yoga training center.

“The entire FMCG mar-ket is to a great extent veer-ing towards more Ayurve-da-based products today and this certainly is a reaction

to the Patanjali effect,” said Ajay Thakur of the Anand Rathi Securities.

According to the analysts there is a perception that Pa-tanjali is not run by hired-for-the-job professionals but run by people who actually believe in the philosophy embodied in the phenome-non and that is working for it.

As per reports, in the last two years, Patanjali Ayurveda has been growing faster than any other FMCG company in India. Its total turnover which stood at around Rs. 2,500 crore in 2014-15, doubled to Rs. 5,000 crore in 2015-

16 and is projected to rise to Rs. 7000 crore in 2016-2017. In 2010-11, its revenues were just over Rs. 300 crore. “And Patanjali is not driven just by curiosity and novelty factors. It is here to stay,” said the FMCG Sector analyst.

According to a few re-ports published in leading newspapers, Patanjali has 15,000 exclusive outlets, and over 5000 franchise all over India. It sources its raw supplies directly from farm-ers and its own farmlands that helps it keep the pro-duction costs low. According to a write-up in the Yahoo! Finance India section, the company aims to have over 1,00,000 exclusive outlets in the next few years.

“But it’s not just about the numbers. It’s actually tap-ping into the rising conscious-ness over health and increas-

ing inclination towards using non-chemical based natural/herbal products,” said another FMCG sector equity analyst with a reputed equity research firm to Just Buy Live times. According to him, Patanja-li’s entry into the market has happened at the cusp of the major lifestyle changes that many in India are consciously adapting.

“Patanjali has been able to demonstrate that regular products too can be Ayurve-da-based. Who would have thought detergent powders could flaunt that they contain the goodness of Ayurveda,” he added.

Reputed business col-umnist and writer Indrajeet Gupta has brought out a very interesting point that gives a deeper explanation to the phenomenal rise of Patanjali. He has quoted Damodar Mall, a consum-er behavior expert, saying “consumers like contempo-rary things that spring from their cultural identity.” That, he says, also explains why

‘Shiva Triology’ by Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Pat-naik, the Indian mythology expert, are such big hits to-day. The rise of Patanjali too springs from the very same core. Indian consumers have now become more confident and proud of what is cultur-ally their own, be it Indian cuisines or Ayurveda or yoga or anything else. Of course, a nation that has the dubious distinction of having the highest number of diabetic people, and other health is-sues, certainly takes a prior-ity. And this is what Patanjali has been addressing. It has been telling people ‘take care of your health and don’t use chemical-based products that harm you’.

It is not surprising that several FMCG leaders to-day are also trying to realign some of their products to this cultural core of India, trying to understand it more. The catapult in this change is certainly Patanjali Ayurveda that has cruised ahead bely-ing the current set of beliefs.

The great Patanjali effect on FMCG SectorSunita Malpani| [email protected]

JUST BUY LIVE TIMES | NATIONAL EDITION-22 | JUNE 13, 2016

LIVE BRANDS2

Argan oil: Revolution in beauty Industry

Bathing salts to pamper you

Argan oil has created a buzz in the beauty industry ever since the numerous health benefits of this oil has been made public. Nyassa brings you this extremely nutrient-rich Argan plant oil in the form of Nyassa Pure Argan Oil. A native of Morocco, Argan oil is obtained from the kernels of the fruit of the argan tree. Procured from the finest and premium grade ingredients sourced from Morocco, Nyassa Pure Argan Oil works wonders in retaining the natural texture of both your skin and hair.

Argan oil is a rich source of fatty acids and Vitamin E

that have proven effects on your skin. This non-greasy oil acts as an effective skin moisturiser and conditioner that hydrates and softens your skin without making your skin oily (hence making it an excellent choice for daily use). Often termed as ‘Liquid Gold’, this protein-rich oil repairs your skin, retains its natural elasticity, and leaves your skin feeling supple and softer. The antioxidant effect of Pure Argan Oil reduces the signs of premature ageing thereby giving you a flawless, younger looking skin that glows with a natural radiance.

Are you worried about

your dull and lifeless locks? If yes, then Pure Argan Oil is what you need! It restores the lost sheen and health of your tresses with its high Vitamin E content. With hair being exposed to many internal and external agents like heat, pollution, dust, over-styling and oxidization, the natural strength and lustre of your hair is damaged. Argan oil restores the natural quality of your hair by renewing and repairing the damage caused by destructive agents. It enhances the elasticity of hair and proves to be very nourishing for the growth of hair. Proven to make hair softer, silkier, shinier and manageable—Argan oil is touted as the ideal hair conditioner by many experts. As it is non-greasy, pure Argan oil locks the moisture in and restores the lustre and shine of your hair. What’s more, it is perfectly

suited for coloured hair too!

Thanks to the multifarious benefits of Argan oil, this e x c e p t i o n a l l y effective massage oil penetrates the skin and soothes it. The no-oily aspect does not leave any residue too!

Nyassa Pure Argan Oil is unscented. However, you can add a few drops of your favourite Nyassa essential oil or fragrance oil if scent is desired.

A one-stop solution for both hair and skin—Nyassa Pure Argan Oil is a simple and effective way to rebuild your hair and skin cells the natural

way. The purity of the natural ingredients of our product

works wonders in getting you ‘the’ perfect hair and skin.

Nothing is as invigorating as a nice dip in a bathing tub sprinkled with bath salts that take away all your fatigue. Nyassa offers you a wide range of bath salts created to pamper you. Our range of essential bath salts help relax sore muscles and softens hard water to detoxify your skin. They also work beyond the skin to relieve muscle tension and banish tiredness. A definite must-have, bath salts can also be used for pedicure and manicure. So just take a deep breath, and indulge your body with the invigorating bath salts range offered by Nyassa.

The fresh aquatic fragrance of the ‘Under The Ocean Bath Salt’ feels like a

splash of clear crystal blue water on your face. It is a combination of Epsom salt

and sea salts that assist in

getting rid of dead skin, and leaves you with a soft and smooth skin. It gives your

skin a marked freshness by

absorbing toxins from it. The Epsom salt, which has many health and beauty benefits

to its credit, has a soothing

effect on your body as well as mind. A natural healing agent, it cures skin problems,

eases back pain and body ache. The sea salts relieve muscle cramps and release the muscular tension. When combined with warm water, sea salts plump up your skin and adds a natural glow to it. Use our ‘Under The Ocean Bath Salt’ and flaunt a softer skin.

Soak in all the goodness of Dead Sea with the ‘Dead Sea Bath Salt’ by Nyassa. For ages, the Dead Sea has been famous for its therapeutic effects. The Dead Sea water has a higher salt content as compared to the water in the oceans and is substantially denser. This makes the content of minerals like magnesium, calcium,

iodine, zinc, bromide, potassium, and sulphur higher in the Dead Sea salt. It

naturally exfoliates the skin, removes toxins and helps blood circulation, thereby promoting skin regeneration. The Epsom salt of the Dead Sea, with its healing qualities, eases stressed muscles and exfoliates dead skin. The

strong aquatic fragrance lends a dash of freshness. So relax with ‘Dead Sea Bath Salt’ and

say farewell to body ache and stiffness and hello to a well-nourished skin.

Immerse your body and mind in absolute relaxation with ‘Himalayan Pink Bath Salt’! Hand-mined from the second largest salt mine in

the world, located in Khewra, Punjab, Pakistan, this luxury bath salt is believed to be the purest form of salt available. ‘Himalayan Pink Bath Salt’ is the best way to take care of your skin during bathing. With a rich content of over 84 beneficial minerals, regular use of this bath salt provides proper nutrient absorption, elimination of toxins and relief from skin rashes. You can now bid adieu to black heads and dead skin as this Epsom salt works as a spectacular exfoliating agent. Use the ‘Himalayan Pink Bath Salt’ and let its strong, earthy fragrance envelope your senses in a mesmerizing way.

With so many benefits attached, these bath salts from Nyassa are definitely a ‘must-have’ bath and beauty accessory!

3LIVE TRENDS

JUST BUY LIVE TIMES | NATIONAL EDITION-22 | JUNE 13, 2016

Secrets to attracting customers and building your businessWhen Roli visited a nearby shop to buy her sister a gift, little did she realise that she would receive a gift for her-self, as well—and that too, from the shopkeeper! It goes without saying that she was moved by the warm gesture.

In the retail business, it is not all about profit or loss, but also about winning the hearts of customers, especial-ly when they least expect it. In the above scenario, what moved Roli was not the gift she received from the store owner, but his gesture.

At a time when e-retail-ers are proving to be weighty contenders for traditional re-tailers, both sides are looking to develop the best attitude to win or retain customers. So, what are the key chang-es that retailers are trying to make these days? What sort of strategy should they adopt to win their customers? And what special initiative should they implement to give them an edge over their competi-tors?

It is not always easy for an online retail store to rep-licate the gesture of the store owner, as in Roli’s case. At times, companies launch a new product and ask retailers to help them market it to cus-tomers. So, while customers buy their usual products, the store owner also includes a sample of the new product in the customer’s shopping bag. This may seem like the store owner is offering a gift with the purchase. However in reality, he is making an

effort to win his customers over and keep them coming back to his store for future purchases.

Loyalty: Ensuring customers’

needs are met is a must in building strong relations and displaying dedication towards customer service.

Unless a retailer/store own-er cares about his customers, there is not much chance he will receive positive feed-back from them. Hence, right at the outset, the store owner must do all he can to make a positive impres-sion on the customer. If that works out in the initial stage, a first-time customer easily becomes a permanent one. These customers also help attract other customers to the store through word-of-mouth promotion. Word-of-mouth promotion is a powerful

and cost effective tool that enables retailers to not only market their shop name, but also showcase their custom-er loyalty and enhance their credibility.

Be gracious: Everyone loves to be

appreciated. And when it comes to customers, small

initiatives work wonders. “One newly opened retail joint sent me a ‘thank you’ note after I ordered food from their outlet. I was tak-en by surprise, as it is not a common gesture in India. In Western countries, this cul-ture is quite common, but a ‘thank you’ note from an Indian retailer is rare,” says Shreya, an IT professional. Though there is no guaran-tee that Shreya will chose to order from the same outlet, the gesture has definitely left a positive impression on

her. Hence, the chances of her becoming a permanent customer of the food outlet have increased by leaps and bounds.

Don’t let your customers wait:

Nobody likes to wait. Whether we are kept on hold by the customer care depart-ment or asked to wait in a queue, as customers, we just do not want to wait. Most retailers we spoke to agreed that keeping customers wait-ing increases the chances of losing them. Therefore, one must always ensure that cus-tomers’ wants are met and queries addressed as soon as possible. In this scenario, the support staff plays an important role in retaining customers. They help cater to their needs and offer relief from the agony of waiting in queues. Also, many super-markets try to experiment with the first-come-first-serve principle, which auto-matically makes the custom-er patient in a way. However, even then it is observed that customers want to be heard as soon as possible.

Are customers at the right shop:

Retailers should build their reputation by adopting unique methods to meet their customers’ requirements. Taking a personal interest in what customers are buy-ing and helping them get the best deals always goes a long way in building their trust.

One should offer ‘better service’ practically and not just verbally. This ensures that you stand out from the crowd.

Feedback: Retailers should

do their best to address customer c o m -plaints as soon as pos-sible. Just meeting cus-tomers’ wants and needs is not sufficient. Asking for their feedback gives them an impression that their opinion is not only valuable, but also implemented to make significant changes. This, in turn, generates positive customer re-sponse. When customers complain about certain

things, they should be taken seriously. Though this could be viewed as a simple issue that can be easily worked out between a store owner and his customer, it is often ignored. As a result of which, there are chances of losing a potential customer. Instead of ignoring these issues, it is always advisable to ask the customer for an amica-ble solution. Empowering customers and giving them authority to come up with a solution to makes them feel one with the organisation and ensures loyalty in the future. Hence, retailers who apply these rules, not only win over their customers’ hearts, but also ensure a long-term relationship with them.

Today, customer is the king. If you want to make a buyer your permanent customer, you need to focus on offer-ing best services, competitive rates and quality products. Apart from this, it is very important to ask the custom-er for feedback about your shop and products. That is because, without this you would never be able to completely understand your customer’s needs. In a way, it also helps you to know your customers’ likes and dislikes.

According to me, you cannot turn a one-time buyer into a bonafide custom-er without excellent customer service. By offering exceptional customer ser-vice, you can always make a custom-er feel important and like they are a special part of your business. Through customer service, you not only provide the customer with a pleasant shopping experience but also understand their wants and needs.

Chetan Amrutlal Shah, New Prabhadevi

Vicky Patel, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai

Puja Kumar| [email protected]

Published for Just Buy Live Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. at 404, Sunrise Business Park, Plot #B68, Road #16, Wagle In-dustrial Estate, Thane (W), Mumbai 400606, Tel No. 02261775900, and printed at Pri Media Services Pvt. Ltd., Plot No. EL/201, TTC Industri-al Area, Opp GTL Call Centre, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400704. Tel no.02239802222. Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: Feature articles, reports and interviews are pub-lished by Just Buy Live Times to present an unbiased picture of the developments in the re-tail markets, corporate world, prevailing economic condi-tions, consumer mannerisms and government policies on the retail product market. Actual developments may be different owing to circumstances beyond

the control of Just Buy Live Times. Just Buy Live Times does not take responsibility for any business or other de-cisions taken by the readers on the basis of the contents here-in. Readers are expected to use their own judgment.Any printing, publication, reproduction, transmission or dissemination of the contents, in any form or by any means, is prohibited without the prior written permission of Just Buy Live Enterprise Private Limit-ed. Any such breach shall make the person / entity committing such breach liable for appro-priate legal action.

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LIVE BAZAARJUST BUY LIVE TIMES | NATIONAL EDITION-22 | JUNE 13, 2016 4

iStevia: Health and taste packed together

Maru Stores: Journey of success

Janus Life Sciences’ Head of Strategic Business Sales, Sharad Mohta, is man on a mission. His mission is making people ‘Diet Liter-ate’. While researching and

analysing health benefits of stevia leaves, a healthy al-ternative to sugar, Sharad Mohta acquired such an in-depth knowledge on dietary and healthy living that he gets invited these days to speak on it by Rotary Clubs and other organizations. Sharad is pas-sionate about what we take into our bodies and the effects those foods have on us.

Sweets are loved uni-versally. But the bitter truth about sugar is that it is simply bad for health. Stevia extract, which is many times sweeter than sugar, has emerged as an alternative to sugar in recent years the world over. And Sharad Mohta is a staunch advocate of this ‘Wonder Sweetener’ and calls it a ‘saviour’ of human beings. He talked to Just Buy Live Times about iStevia, the com-pany’s major stevia product, and the company’s strategy to make the iStevia a widely accepted alternative to sugar.

Could you tell us more about stevia, the ‘wonder sweetener’, as you call it?

Stevia is native to South America. The plant has been used by the Gaurani people there for over 1,500 years. The stevia plant’s leaves have been used in teas, medicines, and in sweet meats for hun-dreds of years by the natives of South America. In the modern era, in Japan, stevia has been used for more than 45 years now. Japanese are one of the healthiest people in the world and they gave boot to sugar long back and replaced it with stevia. In the USA, stevia reached rather late, in 2008, mainly be-cause of a very strong sugar lobby that didn’t want a very healthy alternative to sugar to enter the market.

Today, Stevia is gaining popularity all over the world. Sugar, which has been used as a sweetener, is not being favoured by many health con-scious people. In fact, Sugar

is now being called the ‘New Tobacco’. I ask people, how can they let their organs be damaged by this substance? And I would rather not even talk about artificial sweet-

eners like Aspartame & Su-cralose which are being sold in the name of Sugar- Free. They are simply ‘poisonous’ and worse than sugar. This year, CSPI (Center for Sci-ence in the Public Interest) has already downgraded Sucralose from ‘Caution to Avoid’.

Today awareness on sugar’s harmful effects has made people steer towards stevia products such as iSte-via which is the only healthy and natural alternative to sug-ar. It is health and taste at the same time. And what’s more, not only can it be used in cold beverages like Nimbu Pani, Lassi etc., but also in hot beverages such as teas and coffees. Since it is heat stable you can use it while baking and cooking too. It’s a boon for di-abetic people as it is Zero Calorie sweeten-er which controls di-abetes and hyper-ten-sion. It also helps in controlling obesity.

What has been your marketing strategy? Who have been your major target con-sumers?

Our main focus has been to ensure good distribution and availability. We are al-ready a ‘bestseller’ on Amazon and are over-whelmed by the amaz-ing reviews of stevia. As far as offline avail-ability of our products are concerned we are in the process of ex-panding our reach across the country. We have launched iStevia as a class product for mass consumption and therefore we are making sure that it is available in grocery stores and not per-ceived as a medicinal product meant for di-

abetics. We have a vision of the

future and we are seeing iSte-via as a ‘saviour’ for human beings and is an important tool of preventive healthcare. We are a young brand and I am sure we are going to go places.

Don’t you think asking peo-ple to shift their old habits is a daunting task?

Of course, it is not easy since sugar is addictive like drugs. But people are getting

conscious about health and when you tell them that they can enjoy sweet things in life without guilt with the help of iStevia they shift to iStevia immediately. Just to tell you an example of how aware-ness of a great product like iStevia spreads – recently we received an order for iStevia on Amazon from a man living in a jhuggi in Mumbai and we delivered it to him. There are many such stories like we have seen people paying for iStevia for delivery to some-one else as they want to take that first step for that other person. And not to speak of the continuous repeat pur-

chases and orders from high profile people including in-dustrialists of India. And that is giving us lot of confidence.

What are your expectations from Just Buy Live App?

We are banking big time on Just Buy Live App to reach out to retailers across India. We are a young brand and we are in the process of creating a strong distribu-tion network but we need a strong E-distributor such as Just Buy. I am so impressed

by the App, it is such a good model, I think it is going to places. Earlier, even brands were reluctant to come out with schemes and offers because they knew many a time distributors didn’t pass them off to the retailers. But now with transparency being inbuilt in the App, that is not even possible. It has a great future, I am very confident.

Maru Stores is a popular Kirana shop in Vikhroli, Mumbai. It is run by Mohan Maru, an educated in-dividual who—though initially unprepared—took over the business to support his fam-ily after his eldest brother passed away. His lack of experience made him reluctant to run the business. However, a fami-ly dispute caused him to start his own shop and prove to his family that he could also be a successful kirana shop own-er. In 2012, Mohan Maru changed the name of the shop from Swastik to Maru stores to represent the Maru fami-ly. At the outset, he faced a lot of trouble registering the new shop. Moreover, his lim-ited knowledge in running a shop became an obstacle for his survival in the business. However, as Mohan was de-termined to prove his ability, he struggled hard to achieve his goal. Today, he is a proud owner of the profit-making Maru stores

Tell us more about Maru stores?

Maru stores was earlier known as Swastik stores. Swastik stores was started by my family 30 years ago and in 2012 I changed it to Maru stores due to family dispute. Maru stores was never my dream until my elder brother expired and I decided to take over the business. Maru store was started with a 500 sq. ft. and now it’s a three storey Kirana. I started from basic to learn this business and now it is one of the known stores in the locality.

How has the Kirana busi-ness changed in all these years?

It has changed drastical-ly. Demands from customers are unique and you have to provide them services with-in their expected price range. Competition has increased and lot of online stores are there, so there is a fear that if you don’t satisfy custom-ers, they may shift loyalty. Earlier, the only competitors we had were offline retailers (local shops/supermarket), but now online retailers are giving us a tough time.

How you deal with the in-creasing competition?

We keep evolving. New policies, new products and customer convenience form a key part of our strategy. For the customer’s convenience, we provide free home deliv-ery and always keep updating our product lists, as per cus-tomer demand. If customers demand a particular product that we don’t have, they will go elsewhere and this is not good for business.

What are your thoughts on the upgradation of Kirana store?

Upgradation is the need of the hour. If you don’t up-

grade, you will be left with no customers. We offer free home delivery as part of upgradation. I only do busi-ness in cash and loyal cus-tomers stick to you if you give good service. I am also exploring online payment options. I have also listed myself on the Just Buy App.

Can you tell us more about the challenges in terms of revenue currently as com-pared to when you just en-tered the business?

Revenue generation has definitely been affected, but we are lucky that the decline is very low at 5%; we have been able to keep it low just by our constant efforts. If I talk about the general kirana business, the business has drastically declined and rev-enue has fallen drastically. This is expected to continue as the market changes and market share gets divided. The business has definitely become tougher than when I first entered into it.

How do you handle your dead stock?

I have a simple philos-ophy to identify customers’

needs, so you stock only those products that are defi-nitely going to be sold. It is a part of effective business strategy to identify your cus-tomers’ needs. I always keep an eye on changing trends, so I can avoid the dead stock sit-uation. Having dead stock is a stressful thing to handle and dealing with it consumes a lot of time.

What is your strategy to keep your customers hap-py?

Smile, service and effi-ciency are the key things I keep in mind while dealing with my customers and even my employees. There is a fa-mous saying treat customers as gods. This is what we fol-low, as my bread and butter comes from them.

Any suggestion for Just Buy?

I am very satisfied with their services, especially the Udhaar facility. Just Buy has increased my profit and I also manage to give huge discounts to my customers. Just Buy is life line for my business.

Janus Life Maru StoresMaru StoresRETAILER

SciencesSPEAK SPOTLIGHT

iStevia Liquid Bottle – 15 ml

iStevia Sachet Box - (30 sachets)

iStevia Products on Just Buy APP

Sunita Malpani| [email protected] Vikas Mishra| [email protected]

Sharad Mohta, Head of Strategic Business Sales, Janus Life Sciences

Mohan Maru, Owner, Maru Stores