Dabur launches Pudin Hara G; locks horns with SKB

By launching Pudin Hara G, an effervescent remedy for gas and acidity, Dabur India has set itself on collision course with SmithKline Beecham, which markets Eno

N. Shatrujeet

agencyfaqs!

NEW DELHI, Sep 04

The fizz in the gas and acidity market threatens to boil over. Dabur India Ltd's Health Care Products Division has launched Pudin Hara G, an effervescent remedy for gas and acidity. With this launch, Dabur, for the first time, would be directly taking on the might of pharmaceutical and FMCG giant SmithKline Beecham (SKB), which markets Eno in the same segment.

Pudin Hara G is a granular effervescent powder, which, the company claims, has the natural extract of pudina (mint), besides sarjikshara and lemon extract. Pudina extract is known for its anti-flatulent and carminative properties, while sarjikshara acts as an antacid. The sarjikshara and lemon extract, when mixed in water, produce the effervescence, which helps in removing gas from the alimentary canal.

Dabur is positioning Pudin Hara G - the ‘G' stands for gas - as the sure-fire remedy for gas and acidity, with a cool, mint taste to boot. Dabur plans to leverage the ‘herbal ingredients' platform to out-maneuver rival brands Eno and Dab, which are purely soda-based. And although Eno is now available in a new flavour - jaljeera - Dabur insists that the new version has little therapeutic value. The company is also banking on the equity of the mother brand, Pudin Hara.

Dabur is leaving no stone unturned, in terms of pricing too. Pudin Hara G has been launched at an introductory price of Rs 3 per 5.5-gm sachet. This is well below the price of Eno, which is retailed at Rs 3.75 for a 5-gm sachet. The jaljeera-flavoured Eno is priced at Rs 4.25 per 5-gm sachet. Incidentally, despite the low pricing, Dabur has not reduced the distributor margins for Pudin Hara G.

Packaging is another department where Dabur claims to have an edge. Pudin Hara G sachets are of plastic laminate, as opposed to the paper sachets used to package Eno. Plastic laminates are better guards against humidity, which can spoil the product.

Dabur has two very strong reasons backing the launch. Market researches conducted by the company had revealed that the current gas and acidity market does not have products that are both good in taste and contain beneficial natural ingredients. With Pudin Hara G, Dabur plans to fill that gap.

Further, with this extension, Pudin Hara - which is already available in liquid and pearl form as a ‘stomach pain and indigestion cure' - would be able to take on the mantle of ‘the complete stomach manager'. Meaning, the consumer would not have to look beyond the Pudin Hara brand for common ‘self-medication' stomach ailments.

The OTC digestives market is estimated to be worth Rs 275 crore, with the gas and acidity segment accounting for Rs 120 crore - and growing at 10 per cent, in value terms. Eno, which has approximately 25-per cent market share in the gas and acidity segment, is by far the biggest player in effervescent powders. The rest of the gas and acidity segment is divided between allopathic digestive products.

Pudin Hara G is currently available only in the north, in the Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Greater Punjab and Rajasthan regions. However, by December this year, Dabur plans to take the brand national, in a phased manner. The focus will be on metros and mini-metros, with pharmacy-driven sales accounting for the bulk of the turnover. In fact, the retailing skew is towards chemists' shops in a 70:30 ratio. The company is targeting 5-7 per cent market share in the first full year, ending August 2001.

The communication, which is being handled by Mudra Communications, will highlight the carminative and digestive properties, as also the herbal nature of the brand. Media would be a mix of television advertising and innovative point-of-sales display material. In fact, the TV commercial is expected to break over the next fortnight. The company, however, refused to disclose ad spends.

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