Mamaearth IPO Review – Beauty, Brands, and Growth

About Honasa Consumer Limited

Honasa Consumer was established in 2016 by the husband-wife duo Varun and Ghazal Alagh, renowned for their appearance on Shark Tank. Their venture began with the creation of Mamaearth, a brand specializing in natural and toxin-free baby care products.

Honasa Consumer Limited, widely recognized for its flagship brand Mamaearth, stands as India’s largest digital-first beauty and personal care (BPC) company, based on its revenue from operations in FY23. The company houses a portfolio of brands, including Mamaearth, Derma Co., Aqualogica, and Ayuga. Additionally, it owns the BBlunt salon chain and the Dr. Sheth’s skincare brand. Honasa Consumer operates as a digital-first hub of brands, dedicated to addressing the diverse needs of millennial customers in the beauty and personal care sector.

It is backed by prominent investors such as Sequoia Capital India, Sofina Ventures SA, Fireside Ventures, Stellaris Venture Partners, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, etc. It recently raised $52 million in its Series F funding round at a valuation of $1.07 billion (Rs 8,560 Cr), becoming the first D2C unicorn in India.

Industry

The beauty and personal care industry in India stands out as one of the fastest-growing segments within the consumer sector. Currently valued at approximately US $20 billion, the Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) market in India is expected to see an annual growth rate of 11%, reaching an estimated US $33 billion by 2027.

India’s BPC market is substantial, ranking as the 6^th largest globally. Yet, it’s important to note that there is significant untapped potential. Historically, Indian households have allocated relatively less of their spending toward BPC compared to other nations. For example, in FY22, per capita BPC expenditure in China was nearly three times that of India. Even in comparison to a relatively smaller economy like Indonesia, India’s per capita spending on BPC products remains lower, signifying substantial room for growth. India’s per capita expenditure on BPC products is currently among the lowest when compared to some other developing countries. With GDP per capita surpassing US $2,000, a critical turning point observed in other developing economies, India stands at the brink of significant growth in this sector.

The BPC products market in India is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven by the convergence of technology, the demographic dividend, and rising consumer aspirations.

Business Model

Honasa Consumer embraces a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach, primarily marketing and selling its products through its own website and app, in addition to well-known online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, and more.

The Direct-to-Consumer business model for beauty and personal care (BPC) brands is centered around selling products directly to consumers via online channels. Key components of this model encompass product quality, online sales strategies, customer engagement, data-driven decision-making, compelling brand narratives, sustainability, and efficient supply chain management. This approach prioritizes the establishment of a robust online presence, active engagement with customers, and alignment with values that resonate with the target audience.

We will analyze the Honasa Consumer business model across three key dimensions:

• Brand Building
• Distribution
• Marketing

Brand Building

The success of Mamaearth underscores the ability of management to recognize and respond to emerging trends, leading to the creation and growth of brands. This expertise is utilized to develop new brands, contributing to rapid expansion. The brand-building processes are driven by the consumer-centric approach that is integrated into various aspects of the business model, including innovation, digitally-oriented omnichannel distribution, and the technology and data-driven marketing and consumer engagement model.

Distribution

The company’s presence on online channels, including both DTC platforms and e-commerce marketplaces, is strategically harnessed during the initial phases of a brand or product’s lifecycle. This strategy aims to create trial opportunities for early adopters, establish direct consumer engagement, and evaluate product-market fit. As a product or brand matures, a selective introduction of these offerings in offline stores is employed to expand their reach to a broader consumer base. This digital-first distribution approach empowers the company to integrate customer feedback into new product launches, facilitating the efficient scaling of new products.

 Marketing

Honasa has implemented a data-driven and personalized marketing strategy aimed at generating interest and driving sales for its brands and products. This strategy hinges on data-driven insights, enabling the creation of genuine and pertinent content for consumers. This content is generated not only in-house but also through partnerships with a network of digital influencers.

Details of the advertisement expenses across different platforms:

Moreover, the company leverages its data ecosystem to attain a deep comprehension of consumers, taking into account various factors, including demographic information, behavioural patterns, and transactional data. This information empowers Honasa to segment its user base into micro-cohorts. This segmentation, in turn, allows the company to deliver customized user experiences that closely align with the unique needs and preferences of individual consumers.

Financial

Honasa Consumer’s revenue scaled up 3x to Rs 1,493 Cr over the period spanning FY21 to FY23. In FY22, Honasa Consumer achieved profitability, securing a profit of Rs. 20 Cr. The company allocates a significant portion of its resources to advertising expenses, reflecting its commitment to building brand awareness, as evident in the advertisement spend, which stands at approximately ~39% of revenue. It is anticipated that the company will continue to invest in advertising to drive sales growth, all while maintaining a vigilant eye on profitability.

Peers:

The Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) industry in India is characterized by high fragmentation and intense competition, with numerous players offering diverse categories and price ranges. Notable industry leaders include Hindustan Unilever (HUL), L’Oréal India, Emami, Dabur & Himalaya Drug Company, among others. Additionally, the industry features a significant presence of unorganized and regional players catering to the mass market.

Honasa Consumer operates within the premium segment of the industry, targeting urban millennial consumers seeking high-quality, innovative, and distinctive products aligned with their preferences. In this segment, it faces competition from both online and offline players, including WOW Skin Science India, Plum Goodness, Forest Essentials, Kama Ayurveda, Nykaa, Purplle, The Good Glam Group, Sugar Cosmetics, and more.

Key Acquisitions:

Since launching Mamaearth in 2016, the company has added five new brands to their portfolio, namely The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Ayuga, BBlunt, Dr. Sheth’s. The Company has made the following strategic acquisitions and investments toward inorganic growth:

Objective of the issue:

The offer comprises the fresh issue of Rs. 365 Cr and an offer for Sale ~4.12 Cr shares. Offer for sale details:

The company intends to use the net proceeds from the fresh issue for the following purposes:

• Advertisement expenses towards enhancing the awareness and visibility of our brands
• Capital expenditure to be incurred by the company for setting up new EBOs;
• Investment in Subsidiary, Bhabani Blunt Hairdressing Pvt Ltd (BBlunt) for setting up new salons
• General corporate purposes and unidentified inorganic acquisition

Risk Factors

• Channel risk: The company depends on third-party e-commerce platforms for a significant portion of its online sales, which may expose it to various risks such as changes in policies, fees, commissions, and discounts. The company is shifting its revenue mix from online channels to offline channels.
• New brand-building expense: The company is allocating substantial resources to advertising new brands in order to drive sales, and any failure in this endeavor could have an adverse impact on the business. Consequently, incremental sales may come at lower margins.
  
• Internal controls not up to standard: The auditor’s Opinion on internal financial controls issued on standalone financial statements for the FY20 contains a disclaimer of opinion relating to the Auditors’ inability to obtain appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an opinion on adequate internal financial controls.

Management

Varun Alagh, a Company Promoter, serves as the Chairman, full-time director, and CEO. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Delhi and a post-graduate diploma in business management from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Previously, he worked with Hindustan Lever Ltd, Diageo India Pvt Ltd, and Coca-Cola India Pvt Ltd.

Ghazal Alagh, a Company Promoter, serves as a Whole-time Director and the Chief Innovation Officer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer applications from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and a software engineering certification from the academic council of the NIIT Academy, New Delhi.

Ishaan Mittal, a Non-Executive Director representing Peak XV and Sequoia Capital, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has served as a director of the company since January 3, 2020. Previously, he worked at the Boston Consulting Group (India) Private Limited for over a year and has been with Peak XV Partners Advisors India LLP (formerly, Sequoia Capital India LLP) for more than eight years, currently holding the position of “Managing Director.”

Honasa Consumer Limited IPO Tentative Timetable:

IPO Activity	Date
IPO Open Date	October 31, 2023
IPO Close Date	November 02, 2023
Basis of Allotment Date	November 07, 2023
Refunds Initiation	November 08, 2023
A credit of Shares to Demat Account	November 09, 2023
IPO Listing Date	November 10, 2023

Retail Individual Investor IPO Lot Size:

Application	Lots	Shares	Amount
Minimum	1	46	₹ 14,904
Maximum	13	598	₹ 193,752

Honasa Consumer Limited IPO FAQs:

When will the Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO open?

Honasa Consumer Limited IPO will open for subscription on Tuesday, 31^st October 2023, and closes on Thursday 02^nd November 2023.

What is the price band of Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO?

The price band for Honasa Consumer Limited IPO is Rs. 308-324/share.

What is the lot size for the Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO?

Retail investors can subscribe to the IPO minimum lot size is 46 shares, up to a maximum of 13 lots i.e. Rs. 1,93,752/-.

What is the issue size of Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO?

The total issue size is ~ Rs. 1701 Cr.

When will the basis of allotment be out?

The allotment will be finalized on November 07^th and refunds will be initiated by November 08^th. Shares allotment will be credited in Demat accounts by November 09^th.

What is the listing date of Honasa Consumer Ltd’s IPO?

The tentative listing date of the Honasa Consumer IPO is November 10^th  2023.

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