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Informist, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

 

By Avishek Rakshit

 

KOLAKATA – Emami Ltd. is eyeing to scale up its international business by entering new countries where it does not have a presence and roll out region-specific products to increase sales, Chairman R.S. Goenka said Friday. The company is increasingly focusing on local manufacturing for products sold in global markets rather than exporting them from India. It is also placing strong emphasis on hiring local populace to bolster its global operations, Goenka told shareholders at the company's 42nd Annual General Meeting.

 

Currently, 80% of the products Emami sells in global markets, excluding Bangladesh, are manufactured locally by third-party manufacturers, he said. An equal percentage of the workforce employed in international operations is sourced locally. Emami's international business accounts for 17% of its annual revenue.

 

While Emami relies on outsourced manufacturing in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, it directly makes products in Bangladesh through its subsidiary Emami Bangladesh Ltd. The company operates in over 70 countries, with a focus on selling premium brands.

 

In addition to focusing on premium brands like Creme 21, Emami's long-term strategy for its international operations emphasises the introduction of herbal and natural wellness products, along with expanding sales in countries where these products are already present. The company is prioritising its top 15 international markets, including Bangladesh, which collectively account for nearly 80% of its global revenue, aiming for sharper strategic focus and deeper market penetration.

 

During 2024-25 (Apr-Mar), the south Asian and south-east Asian regions faced persistent macroeconomic and environmental challenges, including political instability in Bangladesh and Myanmar and flash floods in Nepal. Bangladesh, which had initially shown strong momentum and significant growth in local currency, later faced a slowdown due to political and currency-related challenges. Despite these disruptions, markets where new products were launched demonstrated encouraging signs, with repeat orders indicating growing consumer traction and acceptance, the company noted in its Annual Report for FY25.

 

In West Asia and North Africa, the company's second-most important international region, Emami saw strong growth, driven by robust demand and improved brand visibility. Key markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia led this performance with double-digit growth, supported by targeted brand campaigns and deeper retail penetration.

 

However, in East Europe and Russia, the company saw mixed performance in FY25. The initial months saw healthy growth, particularly in Russia, where Emami's heritage brand BoroPlus continued to increase sales. However, the latter half of the last financial year was impacted by ongoing geopolitical uncertainties, high interest rates, and trade disruptions, leading to some decline in sales.

 

Despite these macroeconomic challenges, East Europe and the countries comprising the former Soviet Union continue to remain strategically important for Emami. At 1326 IST, shares of Emami were 1.1% up at INR 573.60 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

 

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

Edited by Subhojit Sarkar

 

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