is the Chairman and Saugata Gupta assumed the role of the Managing Director in March 2014 and is currently the MD and CEO of this organisation.
History
Marico was established in 1990. ;Timeline
1974 – Harsh Mariwala envisioned a branded FMCG market for coconut and refined edible oils in small consumer packs and sets up a national distribution network for Parachute.
1990 – Marico was established in India.
1991 – Marico launches Hair & Care, a non-sticky hair oil repositioning the market leader through contemporary packaging. Sweekar sunflower oil goes national.
1992 – 94 - Marico goes from being an exporter to international marketer – sets up its first overseas office in Dubai.
1994 – The year marks another innovation, Revive cold water starch makes starching cottons more convenient for the consumer.
1999 – The company expands with its first overseas manufacturing facility in Bangladesh. Marico acquires Mediker in the same year
2003 – Marico Innovation Foundation, responsible for executing the Corporate Social Responsibility of Marico, was formed. In the same year Marico sets up copra collection centrEs to procure directly from farmers increasing their margins, thereby improving their lives and making a difference.
2006 – Nihar enters the Marico fold.
2006-7 - Marico casts footprint in Africa, acquires Fiancée and Hair Code in Egypt and Caivil, Black Chic and Hercules in South Africa.
2009 – Marico makes a public offering of equity in Bangladesh a first for one of its overseas subsidiaries.
2010 - The South East Asia journey commences with Code10 male grooming in Malaysia and Derma Rx skin care solutions in Singapore. The year also marks the launch of Saffola breakfast, Masala Oats in India.
2011 - Parachute Advanced entered the skin-care category with the launch of Parachute Advanced Body Lotion, another innovation by Marico. The year also marks the launch of Parachute Gold hair cream in the Middle East market targeted to women which today has great equity amongst the consumer. Marico strengthens its presence S.E. Asia through a male grooming, skin care and food portfolio acquired in Vietnam in the same year.
2012 – India's Gen Next gets styled by Marico as it launches its male grooming brand, SetWet.
2017- Marico acquires South Africa's leading hair styling business – Isoplus; launches Saffola Active Slimming Nutri-shake and makes a strategic investment in Zed Lifestyle
2018 – Marico invests Revolutionary Fitness ; launches a new brand – True Roots that delays hair greying and launches its first digital exclusive brand – Studio X; launched Saffola Fittify.
2019 – Marico announces association with Kaya, to create a skincare sub-brand, Kaya Youth.
Brands
The organisation holds a number of household brands such as Parachute, Parachute Advanced, Saffola, Hair & Care, Nihar, Nihar Naturals, Livon, Set Wet, Mediker and Revive. In the international market, Marico is represented by brands like Parachute, HairCode, Fiancée, Caivil, Hercules, Black Chic, Code 10, Ingwe, X-Men and Thuan Phat.
Male grooming – Set Wet
Hair Care – Parachute, Parachute Advanced, Nihar Naturals, Nihar Naturals Uttam, Hair & Care Fruit Oils, Mediker, Livon
Edible Oils – Saffola
Skin Care – Parachute Advansed Body Lotion
Fabric Care – Revive
Healthy Foods – Saffola Masala Oats & Saffola Fittify
Parachute
Parachute is the flagship brand of Marico which consists of edible grade coconut oil. Marico manufactures and markets its coconut based hair oils under its popular brand – Parachute "Advansed" and a series of extensions thereof. Parachute edible oil contains 100% coconut oil, whereas "Advansed" hair oils contain at least 50% mineral oil along with coconut oil.
Others
Marico's brands and their extensions occupy leadership positions with significant market shares in a number of health and beauty areas. Saffola is essentially blended refined edible oil. It is marketed under the names of New Saffola, Tasty and Active. All of them contain blended vegetable oils in various ratios. The main type of oils which are blended include Rice Bran oil, Kardi oil or Safflower oil, Corn oil and Soya oil. Marico has a significant presence in Bangladesh, South East Asia, Middle East, Egypt and South Africa. Marico reported a net profit of ₹573 Crore in 2014-15.
Parachute "Advanced" hair oils contain around 50% to 80% mineral oil, along with coconut oil. Advanced Aloe Vera Enriched Coconut Hair Oil contains: Coconut oil, Mineral l, BHT, Aloe Vera extract & Perfume. Mineral oil is known to cause skin cancer. Even though highly refined oils are not suspected to be carcinogenic, available information is not sufficient to classify them as harmless.
Marketing
in the Middle East had been smuggling Parachute oil with them for their daily use when export of the oil was restricted prior to the 1991 economic liberalisation. Marico decided to try to sell products in that market after liberalisation, but found that Arab customers did not like the scent of coconut, wanted a less sticky hair product, and needed a product to counteract the high level of chlorination in their water. When Marico reformulated its product, its market share in the Middle east grew from 2% in 2002 to more than 20% by 2008.
