Focusing on creating products for millennials and generation Z

With over a decade of experience in setting up and building businesses successfully from the scratch, Ishan Grover, founder & CEO, SVISH ON-THE-GO, is one of India's craft brewing industry pioneers. He runs one of the largest craft brewing consulting firms in India, established over 60 craft breweries across India. The pandemic caused a lot of unprecedented changes to the business world and caught many people by surprise. The brewing industry was hit hard. But it was this adversity that spurred Ishan to shift gears and use his entrepreneurial skills to fill the gap that he saw in the line of sanitizing products in the market. Ishan is now pushing SVISH ON-THE-GO to greater heights as he explains in an exclusive interview with BIZZ BUZZ

We strongly believe that the sanitization products market is going to take a significant number in the FMCG category and has the potential to touch the number of a deodorant category. Usually, a person uses a deodorant spray just once or twice in a day, but spray sanitizers have more usage if it meets one's lifestyle and doesn't remind him of a hospital

We are already working with platforms like Snapdeal, Shop clues, Amazon, Flipkart, Smitten and Milk basket, Big Basket and we have recently collaborated with Audi Delhi South for their 101 Q2 test drive challenge. Simultaneously working with WH-SMITH which will launch our products in over 40+ stores across all airports, Delhi Metro and some prominent universities

How is the craft business doing and what inspired the switch to hygiene products?

Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on the Craft Beer industry, but now we are bouncing back in India's new Normal. In March 2020, when I was busy preparing for the world beer cup, a prestigious craft beer event in Texas, United States, the lockdown was announced. Seeing lakhs of litres of crafted beer go down the drain thanks to the lockdown, I began to think of new creative ideas for the business. That's when I connected with Jaideep who was stuck in India. Our conversations' recurring theme was how much personal hygiene was ignored in the market and how the market was full of poorly designed products that left your skin feeling irritated, itchy, dry, and smelly. There was a clear need for a brand that creates a range of products, which give user experience to their target audience and not just kills germs, but also takes care of your skin and uplift your mood and fits our lifestyle. It took more than six months of work with pharma companies to tailor the formula, sampled thousands of essential oils for natural fragrances, and finally created a range that is not just functional, but also aligns with lifestyle. SVISH ON-THE-GO, the first 'Made-in-India' range of Personal Hygiene products finally launched in November 2020 with a cool, vibrant range non-sticky, pocket-friendly with pleasant fragrances.

What is the unique selling proposition for your hygiene products and how is it working for the company?

SVISH has India's first no-gas hand sanitizer spray, with more than 70 per cent alcohol and Its non-sticky moisturizer and kills 99.99 per cent of germs and bacteria. It is biodegradable, non-alcoholic 100 per cent viscose fiber gadget-disinfectant wipes. The product is safe for gadgets and the environment. Their product design journey starts with the size, which fits well inside the pocket.

Svish as a brand comes with a Fresh and pleasant fragrances in Orange Peel, Aqua, Citrus, Lemon, and Pine Haze. This product not just kills germs but also takes care of your skin and uplifts your mood.

We strongly believe that the sanitization products market is going to take a significant number in the FMCG category and has the potential to touch the number of a deodorant category. Usually, a person uses a deodorant spray just once a twice in a day, but spray sanitizers, which have more usage if it meets one's lifestyle and doesn't remind him of a hospital.

What is your primary target audience and secondary target audience?

When we entered the market in Mid-November, by then already the market was saturated with sanitizers. Our target Audience is Generation Z and we strongly believe if we connect with them and create products for them it will make personal hygiene a habit.

Are you looking at creating mass brands with products at various price points?

We are trying to create a cool brand which makes affordable personal hygiene products.

Is your production geared to meet your demand? Any plans to ramp up production in the near future?

Yes, we are well equipped. We are carefully monitoring users' trends and we will create some of the most exciting product ranges, which will fit into our customers day-to-day life. Our core focus is to make products for the millennials and generation z, who refuse to choose between form and function and make sanitization and personal hygiene a sustainable habit/ lifestyle then a forced choice.

Are you looking at strategic tie-ups to up the brand image, create more brand awareness and to boost sales?

Yes, we are already working with platforms like Snapdeal, Shop clues, Amazon, Flipkart, Smitten and Milk basket, Big Basket. We have recently collaborated with Audi Delhi South for their 101 Q2 test drive challenge. We have recently started working with WH-SMITH which will launch our products in 40+ stores across all airports, Delhi Metro and some prominent Universities.

How big are your operations and how do you see your company in the next three years?

We are currently working like a bootstrapped start-up with like-minded individuals who are trying to set the base right as a company, as we expand into different markets and in both Retail and online business in the next three years we will expand.

Is the new normal likely to see more wide-spread use of hygiene products?

Covid-19 has taught everyone the importance of personal hygiene products. Hygiene, which was once an option, now is a lifestyle choice.

How big is the industry for Covid related hygiene brands?

Personal care is expected to be a $15-bn market and personal hygiene is going to take a major chunk from it. With companies focusing on creating products which are focused on sanitizer penetration in India moved from a mere one per cent in January-September 2019 to 45.6 per cent in the same period this year. Hand washes, another small category, added newer households, according to data by researcher Kantar. As Covid-19 fuelled consumer demand for hygiene products, penetration of hand washes went up to 32.9 per cent during January-September this year from 11.9 per cent a year ago. A significant growth for the category was led by rural markets where volume contribution from India's villages stood at 25.7 per cent. Floor cleaners jumped from 13.9 per cent in January to September 2019 to 19.7 per cent in the same period this year.