Do you know our country harbors over 800 D2C brands? Despite numerous scopes and challenges, various D2C brands in India are disrupting the market space with massive success. Crucial factors like the adoption of digital technology and eliminating middlemen have enabled direct-to-customer (D2C) brands to establish a direct and strong connection with their consumers. Also, they observed an uptick in their sales due to the generation of multiple revenue streams! In this article, we have described the 10 most promising brands in India that are testaments to the success of direct-to-consumer brands.
Note: Before we move forward if you want to know more details about the details of D2C business model, then you can refer to the topics that we have already explained-
- Why are D2C brands going offline?
- What are the scopes and challenges of D2C brands in India?
- Difference between D2C and B2C.
A Brief Overview
| Name of the D2C Brand | Founder | Establishment | Market Valuation | Type of Industry |
| Nykaa | Falguni Nayar | 2012 | INR 48,764 Crore | Cosmetics |
| Mamaearth | Ghazal Alagh & Varun Alagh | 2016 | INR 13,852 Crore | Cosmetics & Skin Care Products |
| boAT | Aman Gupta | 2014 | INR 9,840 Crore | Electronic Gadgets (Audio Focussed) |
| Licious | Vivek Gupta | 2015 | INR 8,204 Crore | Non-veg Products |
| Country Delight | Chakradhar Gadhe | 2015 | INR 6,806 Crore | Dairy Products |
| Wakefit | Ankit Garg & Chaitanya Ramalingegowda | 2016 | INR 2,282 Crore | Furniture |
| Wow Skin Science | Manish Chowdhary | 2014 | INR 1,587 Crore | Skin Care Products |
| Sugar Cosmetics | Vineeta Singh | 2012 | INR 4,133 Crore | Cosmetics |
| Zivame | Richa Kar | 2011 | INR 808 Crore | Women’s Lingerie |
| The Man Company | Hitesh Dhingra | 2015 | INR 274 Crore | Men’s grooming essentials |
Details of prominent D2C brands in India
Let’s look into the top 10 flourishing indigenous D2C brands storming the Indian market.
Disclaimer: We have listed the D2C companies based on the latest market valuation in descending order. The valuation mentioned is last mentioned by the company.
Nykaa
Nykaa is a cosmetics brand founded by Falguni Nayar in 2012. She established Nykaa as a D2C startup that utilizes an inventory-based business model. As you have seen in the business model of Nykaa, it purchases the products directly from the manufacturers, stores them in its warehouses, and sells them directly to the customers. Presently, the market value of this D2C brand is Rs. 48,764 Crore. Apart from its official website, you can also buy Nykaa products from its brick-and-mortar stores present in 40 cities in India.
Mamaearth
Founded by Ghazal Alagh in 2016, Mamaearth is a personal care brand. It offers natural and toxin-free products for babies and mothers. Their products are made with safe ingredients for your skin and the environment. Also, their products are packaged in recyclable materials. Mamaearth has gained popularity in India and abroad for its eco-friendly and affordable offerings.
Currently, its market capital and valuation are Rs.13,852 Crore and INR 9,840 Crore respectively. According to Mamaearth, their products are free from harmful chemicals. This tagline has helped them to gain a large and loyal customer base.
BoAT
boAt is a lifestyle audio brand that offers headphones, earphones, and other audio accessories. It has become one of the most popular D2C brands in the audio space. The audio-electronics brand has gained a strong following in India for its stylish and affordable products. boAt leverages social media and influencer marketing to connect with its target audience. Founded by Aman Gupta, the current market capitalization of boAT is Rs. 11,000 Crore and the valuation is INR 9,840 Crore. Apart from audio-focused electronics, boAt has expanded into various products like smartwatches, speakers, and soundbars.
Licious
LIcious is an online meat and seafood brand founded by Vivek Gupta in 2015. It offers fresh and hygienic non-veg products. The company sources its products directly from farmers and fishermen and delivers them to customers within hours. Licious has disrupted the traditional meat and seafood industry in India by offering high-quality products at affordable prices. Their focus on quality and convenience has made them popular among busy urban consumers.
Country Delight
Country Delight is a dairy and milk products brand. Established in 2015, it offers fresh and organic milk & dairy products. The company sources its products directly from farmers and delivers them to customers within hours. According to the founder, Chakradhar Gadhe, this company has disrupted the traditional dairy industry in India by offering high-quality products at affordable prices. Their focus on quality and transparency has helped them gain a loyal customer base.
Wakefit
Wakefit is a sleep solutions and furniture brand that offers mattresses, pillows, and other sleep-related products. Ankit Garg & Chaitanya Ramalingegowda established this company in 2016. The company uses data and research to develop its products. And it offers a 100-night trial period to customers.
Wakefit has disrupted the traditional mattress industry in India by offering high-quality products at affordable prices. Currently, its market valuation is INR 2,282 Crore. This furniture brand has disrupted the traditional brick-and-mortar mattress market by offering affordable and high-quality products directly to consumers.
Wow Skin Science
Wow, Skin Science is a personal care brand that offers products for hair, skin, and body. The brand uses natural and organic ingredients in its products. It offers premium quality products at affordable prices. This has helped it to gain popularity in India. Manish Chowdhary founded this company and currently, its market valuation is INR 1,587 Crore. It is an omnichannel D2C brand that offers products across 4,500 retail outlets pan India.
Sugar Cosmetics
Sugar Cosmetics is a makeup brand that offers a wide range of products for women. The brand focuses on inclusivity and diversity, offering products for different skin tones and types. Founded by Vineeta Singh in 2012, this cosmetic brand offers a range of cruelty-free and vegan products for women. Their bold and trendy colors have made them popular among the younger generation. Presently, the market cap of Sugar Cosmetics is Rs. 183 Crore and the market valuation is INR 812 Crore.
Zivame
A lingerie brand that offers a range of comfortable and stylish lingerie for women. Their focus on empowering women and offering a personalized shopping experience has helped them build a strong brand. It was founded by Richa Kar in 2011. Currently, its market valuation is INR 808 Crore. This D2C brand focuses on creating a strong bonding with the youth through social media marketing.
The Man Company
Hitesh Dhingra founded “The Man Company” in 2015. It is a D2C grooming brand that primarily focuses on men. It manufactures and retails grooming products, especially in the verticals of hair and skin care. Its primary audience is the male population because it found the loophole in the beauty space where the women’s grooming market is booming, and contrarily, men-focused beauty brands were sluggish. Due to less competition in the men’s beauty segment, “The Man Company” effectively expanded. Also, it opened its retail stores to provide products at affordable rates.
Conclusion
The Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) business model has been on the rise in India in recent years. Many brands leverage digital platforms and social media to connect with consumers and offer unique products and experiences. So, we have described 10 of the most promising D2C brands in India that are thriving hot in the Indian market.
