Plum Goodness, the vegan beauty brand in the country, is on a product expansion mode with ongoing innovation.
“We have added perfumes and fragrances to the portfolio. Apart from that, we have launched a few other makeup products like eye shadow sticks, eye shadow palettes, sunscreens, etc. We are launching more shades in the Kajal Pencil with sharpener category. We are planning to launch some more products in the skincare and makeup category within a three to six-month period,” revealed Shankar Prasad, Founder & CEO at Plum Goodness in an interaction with medianews4u.com.
Last year, the brand ventured into the baby care space with ‘Baby Plum’. The products are developed using avocado as a key ingredient.
“The baby care category is performing organically quite well for Plum Goodness, but our current focus is on core categories like skin, hair, followed by bath and body, and lastly makeup,” he said.
Plum’s men’s brand, which contributes around 5 percent to the overall revenue, is undergoing a revamp. Prasad said that the revamped version of the brand will be launched in June-July 2024, with more products added to the portfolio. Plum Goodness has a strong focus on inclusivity.
Speaking on how the brand is addressing diverse skincare needs and ensuring its products cater to a wide range of skin types and tones, Prasad said, “When we started in 2014, we said that we would not add fairness cream to the brand’s product portfolio (a time when fairness creams were ruling the market), and we still stand by it. I was already clear about the fact that Plum should play a role in making what is already good better – the skin and to be a different version of oneself. No matter what the skin type is, we don’t see that as a negative. Our philosophy has always been that how do you take care of yourself in the best possible way and radiate your beauty in the most natural way – whether it is skin or hair – that is the core of everything we do as a brand.”
He added, “We are very clear about which products are suitable for different skin types, and we don’t actively discourage people from buying certain products that are not meant for their skin type. There is a set of consumers on our website and app who come back and say that the products didn’t suit them and they need a shopping voucher or something similar to compensate. We make them comfortable by saying that it is alright to explore something else. Another thing we do is that when we get feedback on certain products or certain shade ranges not meeting the needs of the customer – then we introduce new shades to address the issue, which is an ongoing process. We celebrate people for who they are and how we can cater to their beauty needs in the most scientific way – that’s what we aim to do.”
“There is a lot of greenwashing happening in the beauty category,” observes Prasad. “There are brands that claim they are organic, but in reality, there will only be a small percentage of organic ingredients. From day one, we have been clear that we will make claims that we can support. Transparency in ingredient lists is something we have pioneered and continue to drive rigorously. We work with manufacturers who meet all the norms and refrain from working with those who don’t comply with government norms. We are very clear that our products should be best in class,” he added.
In terms of packaging, the brand, according to Prasad, tries to incorporate recycled materials into packaging as much as possible. “Most importantly, we encourage our consumers to send the empty containers back, which we then send to certified recyclers. We have a system in place to pick up the used containers from the consumer’s doorstep. This is a practice of over five years. As we use plastic for packaging, we feel that it is our responsibility to take it back,” he said.
“The brand revenue in FY22 was around Rs 170 crore, and FY23 was over Rs 300 crore. We will probably witness a 15-20 percent growth this year,” he concluded.
