Hemas Consumer Brands’ foray into skincare through Vivya was born out of a need to fulfil the needs of women seeking to invest in their beauty regimen without encountering a trade-off between what is safe and effective. The personal care brand has now set its sights on venturing further out and expanding its footprint to encompass the global market, says Sabrina Esufally, Director of Business Development and Innovation at Hemas Consumer Brands.
How was the Vivya brand conceived and developed?
We zeroed in on two unsolved problems in the market. First, women in their late 20s to 40s looking to invest in a skincare regime had few choices as they confronted skin lightening products which account for over 90% of the skincare propositions in the market. Second, the few skincare products with natural ingredients available in the market were not engineered to deliver visible skin benefits. On the flip side, there was a host of chemically engineered products that gave quick results but were not good for the skin; so, consumers had to make this uncomfortable choice between safety and effectiveness.
Vivya was born to solve this gap in the market. We had been looking for a high-performance natural ingredient that could deliver visible skin benefits. Southeast Asian markets were far ahead of the trend and using their indigenous rice to elevate their proposition. Our R&D teams took on the challenge to study these ancient grains and stumbled on a wonder skincare ingredient that brought nature, science, and heritage together.
And how has the brand performed since launching?
It had immediate resonance with local consumers, but Vivya also has the legs to go global. That is a litmus test of what it takes for a skincare brand to succeed.
We co-created this range with over 500 consumers, with constant iterations, and over a period of a year, had a world-class product that worked.
Although it is early days, I am confident about the differentiation that Vivya brings to the table, in terms of the brand and efficacy, in delivering visible skin benefits for South Asian women.
What makes Vivya unique compared to the smorgasbord of personal care products in the market?
Firstly, the novel ingredient. For the first time in the world, we unlocked the goodness of Sri Lankan heirloom rice to elevate beauty regimes. Our R&D teams spent months extracting the benefits from these ancient rice grains and translating it into a product that works, called Golden Trice – a technology that is unique to us.
Secondly, many skincare brands do not celebrate natural radiance. They tell women that they have to have a certain shade or skin colour to be beautiful. We do not believe that, and we are changing the narrative around beauty. Vivya is creating a movement for women to celebrate their beauty in all its forms and very differently from how the many brands on the shelf approach the personal care market.
What is your approach to building unique brands and products and winning market share in an ultra-competitive space?
At Hemas, we build brands and a company to last, not just for our generation but for the generations to come. We created the Business Development and Innovation function two years ago to look ahead and identify problems that we would like to solve for the future and where we could create superior value for the people and communities we serve. These will enable the company to sustain a competitive advantage and create value in the long term.
What are the exciting next steps for Vivya and Hemas?
Many lessons learned and all of the muscle gained over the years have brought us to this point in the company’s journey, where the next step is to take Hemas global.
Over time, we have sharpened two aspects of the company: our ability to create brands that are locally rooted but globally competitive by continuing to invest in our brands and stakeholders and to ensure that they continually serve the needs of the people in their time of need to make our communities a better place.
Hemas has dialled into the problems that we are trying to solve, and this is a skill that allows the company to produce solutions that would serve us well as we venture into broader South Asian markets.
Are there emerging consumer trends, and what is your strategy to unlock new opportunities?
Three macro trends will define consumer goods businesses over the next five to 10 years. First, the demand for safety will increase. People want safer products not just for their bodies but in terms of the environment and planet too, and they are more informed about what goes into products.
Second, largely on the back of Covid, people are more concerned about their health and wellbeing. Health has taken on a more robust and holistic framing, where it is about mental, spiritual, and physical health coming together. There is a broader acceptance and cognition around what it means to be healthy in the widest sense of the word.
Thirdly, women are more empowered and demand personalised products for their needs. Women feel entitled, as they should, to buy into products that make them feel more beautiful, healthier, and better off. Women empowerment is creating an exciting movement for choice and how we think about the products that we put on the shelf.
How do you see your purpose within the company? And what is your vision for growth?
I am the next generation of the family coming into the business. My responsibility is to carry the torch or ethos of Hemas. The family and business have always been anchored around building a more inclusive and equitable world. I am excited to continue this legacy and ensure that we consistently do the hard work for Hemas to remain a force for good in the markets and consumer segments that we serve.
Hemas has dialled into the problems that we are trying to solve, and this is a skill that allows the company to produce solutions that would serve us well as we venture into broader South Asian markets