Incense stick major Zed Black agarbatti eyes Rs 800 cr turnover by 2022

Expects to clock topline growth by 30%: Anshul Agrawal, Director, Zed Black

Zed Black, Manthan Dhoop increases manufacturing capabilities in India with largest state-of-the art agarbatti production facility

by Suman Gupta

New Delhi, April, 2021: This fiscal, MP based, MDPH Group is planning big. Mysore Deep Perfumery House (MDPH), is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of incense sticks in the country. While its premium incense stick brand Zed Black is looking to launch several new & innovative products in the next fiscal and venturing big into global markets, its traditional and leading dhoop vertical, Manthan Dhoop is on an expansion spree.  The company recently roped in Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan as the face of its dhoop range (bamboo less agarbatti variant) which is the market leader across the country and North India predominantly. The company sells over 15lac+ retail packs across a wide range of fragrances daily.

“Even as COVID-19 severely hampered businesses worldwide in 2020, India’s incense stick (agarbatti) industry saw a surge in demand, with industry exports expected to grow 15 percent by this year-end. In Reference to MDPH two new factories coming up, and adding a manufacturing space of 3 lac sqft in the existing 7 lac sqft in Madhya Pradesh making it to a total of 10 Lakh Sq Feet space by end of Calendar Year 2021, the capacity addition would help expand the topline by 30%. From the Rs. 650 crore revenue from the agarbatti business in the last fiscal, we are now aiming to clock Rs 800 crore+ in FY22 at Consumer Level. We are the first movers in the dhoop space. We will keep innovating to stay ahead of the curve. Manthan Dhoop has the potential to become a mainstream puja brand in Indian homes, and that is the space we will keep investing in”, said Anshul Agrawal, Director, MDPH, on the sidelines of the brand ambassador announcement. Hrithik Roshan joined MS Dhoni, who has been associated with the brand as the ambassador for Zed Black 3-in-1 Agarbattis since 2017.

Taking inspiration from PM Narendra Modi`s Atmanirbhar initiative, MDPH has set up the world’s largest raw-agarbatti manufacturing unit in Indore. “Our state-of-the-art manufacturing unit has 650 machines and each machine is run by rural women. Rural women account for 80% of our workforce. Supporting Make in India, Zed Black is doing 100% indigenous production of raw- agarbatti which was earlier being imported from Vietnam. With enormous consumer reach in the Indian household with 15,00,000+ agarbatti & dhoopbatti packets being sold across India at daily basis, we have a very sound & deeper understanding of consumer choices & needs. The brand today has a sizable presence across the country, and is amongst top 5 across all states. We have seen Year on Year double digit growth since last 15 year. Even in FY 2021-22, we have registered growth in double digits despite the first two months affected by lockdown” Anshul adds.

“The big picture is that we are not only present in all segments of Puja categories such as Agarbatti, Dhoopbatti, Dhoop Sticks and Sambrani but also successful. Our manufacturing unit has churned out products, in the premium as well as mass categories. This calls for doing multiple things including creating new categories and tapping categories that are huge in the digital space as well. For instance, “During before lockdown Zed Black launched a unique fruity fragrance like Pineapple which is now one of our hot sellers especially in the East and South. Within the first year of launch our Zed Black’s pineapple agarbatti clocked a consumer level turnover of Rs. 65 Crores+. Creating innovative fragrances and variants with age-old secrets, transparent operations and process, and scalability are our main pillars that have consciously worked towards ensuring sustainable growth in the agarbatti manufacturing market”, shared Ankit Agrawal, Director, Zed Black on the trends the industry has been witnessing in the current scenario.

“Similarly during lockdown Zed Black launched Eco-Friendly Gauved Sambrani Cups made from Cow Dung, as a positive step towards promotion & conservation of cattle in the country which also got a very good response due to its natural cleansing properties & use of herbs in Loban + Guggal variant We are all set to launch Gauved Agarbattis (made from cow dung) in Sandal, Rose, & Mogra fragrances for the coming festive season”, he adds.

Zed Black has also launched Nature Flower Incense Sticks in collaboration with HelpUsGreen, which is a first of its kind initiative that recycles temple flowers from river Ganga and transforms them into incense sticks thereby saving river Ganga from becoming a waste house. The product is now available at various ecommerce platforms and traditional trade markets. “E-commerce is a testing platform before to take the products to the masses but only for select premium consumer cohorts. For instance, e-commerce is our go-to channel for products like Nature Flower Incense Sticks, Gauved and more, Similarly, Manthan Dhoop, Dhoop Sticks & Sambrani Cups have a latent demand in the online space and we will tap it. Our focus on premium products came from the observation that consumers want to upgrade, and we will stay on that path. Going ahead, we will keep enhancing our premium portfolio”, Ankit adds.

At the announcement, Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan had shared, “In India, aromas are a popular tool to stir emotions. So I would say, our association is deeply mindful, One, that identifies the purpose, needs, wants and demands of the Indian household”. The TVC sees Hrithik grooving to a melody of ‘Manthan Zaroori Hai’, a reflection of the many senses Manthan dhoopbatti arouses. The upbeat jingle is choreographed by ace choreographer Farah Khan. Hrithik Roshan will be promoting Zed Black Manthan Dhoop and Dhoopbatti which are made from a gentle blend of essential oils and all natural ingredients which has aromatic fragrances of Mogra, Kevda, Chameli, Pineapple, Champa, Gold, Chandan, Guggal, Loban, Raatrani, Jasmine, Rajnigandha, Silver, Lavender, Charlie and Gulab.  He also will be the face for Zed Black Manthan Sambrani Cups which are a powerful source of aromatic & positive energy and igniting just one cup gives a feeling of pious hawan at home every day and thus encompassing its benefits.