India: The launch of ‘Taft’ hair style products by consumer goods business Henkel Consumer Brands marked the company's entry into the Indian male grooming market. The four product categories in the Schwarzkopf Taft line include hairspray, mousse, wax, and gel, some of these items are unisex.

Henkel is a multinational company offering numerous products in a wide range of categories, including hair coloring, hair care, skincare, and home care (including laundry and kitchen cleaning products). In order to create one, unified global consumer brands organization, Henkel consolidated all of its consumer divisions in December 2022. After carefully assessing consumer demand and market size, it is now considering leveraging the worldwide portfolio.

The company was engaged in the Indian market until 2012 and was more recognized for its detergents. It licensed this business to Jyoti Labs, retaining just the haircare part of the B2B or professional hair care and styling market. To achieve significant market share gains in the premium segment, the corporation is revamping its distribution tactics. With the introduction of hair colorants under the Schwarzkopf brand, German company Henkel Consumer Brands announced its foray into the at-home hair care industry in India last year. In the upcoming years, the company could launch additional products in the hair care categories.

The company believes that customers that shop in this fashion category engage with a variety of channels, including physical retail stores, traditional e-commerce websites, and even quick-commerce websites. Therefore, in order to effectively serve their target audience, brands have to establish a strong presence across multiple channels. The company is planning on ramping up offline distribution in the top 1015 cities. The company will target around 4000-5000 outlets in the first two years of the launch.

Customers continue to have high expectations for the performance of products. With the introduction of Taft, the company believes that it will be able to connect with a variety of consumers who value healthier options without sacrificing effectiveness. By offering products with vegan components and environment friendly packaging, the company intends to gain an edge over millennial and Gen Z consumers.

Henkel's long-term strategy is to continue investing in India and introduce goods that appeal to customers. Following the acquisition of Shiseido's professional division, it also intends to conduct product testing here, much as it does in its laboratory in Japan. In the market for hair color and hairstyles, Henkel is in competition with brands including Loreal, Wella, and BBlunt, as well as Beardo and Bombay Shaving Company among others.