Brands
indē wild gets wild with Ishaan Khatter
MUMBAI: Luxury ayurvedic beauty brand indē wild, spearheaded by startup entrepreneur Diipa Büller-Khosla, today announced a brand endorsement partnership with film personality and youth icon Ishaan Khatter.
The reason, according to Diipa is that Ishaan Khatter, as indē wild’s first-ever male brand ambassador, embodies the brand’s core values. His youthful vitality, international appeal, and artistic sensibility resonate deeply with the brand’s forward-thinking identity.
The campaign launches globally this month, featuring the inde wild Champi hair oil and Dewy Lip treatment—products that have already garnered significant attention in the clean beauty category. The campaign’s imagery moves beyond conventional advertising, presenting a sophisticated and evocative exploration of self-care. The visuals reimagine self-care rituals with a contemporary minimalist aesthetic, skilfully blending sensuality and strength. The overarching message emphasises intentionality, showcasing grooming rituals that seamlessly integrate effortless ease with inclusive and holistic self-care practices.
The TVC centers on Ishaan Khatter, presenting him as the embodiment of the female gaze, and redefining male grooming within a contemporary context. The intimate and minimalist aesthetic emphasises texture—bare skin and the Champi hair oil—with the product’s circular bottle becoming a natural extension of Khatter’s persona. These images seamlessly capture moments of reflection, movement and playful spontaneity.
An elated Diipa Büller-Khosla who launched indē wild three years ago states, “As we celebrate our launch in Sephora UK and prepare for our US debut, we’re not just expanding our retail presence—we’re amplifying our mission of inclusive beauty rooted in south Asian heritage. This campaign is a testament to our commitment to challenging outdated beauty norms.. Through this partnership, we’re showing the world that ayurvedic beauty rituals are universal, genderless, and ready for their global big moment.”
Ishaan Khatter shares his personal connection to the Champi ritual, stating, “It’s a deeply rooted tradition, and something I fondly remember from childhood, like countless others. Balancing self-care with a busy schedule can be tough, but indē wild has helped me rediscover this ritual. It’s more than just a product; it’s a way to reconnect with myself. I love that these products aren’t just cosmetics but tools for holistic self-care accessible to everyone, regardless of gender.”.
Hailing from a background rooted in ayurvedic principles through family heritage, and with a mother who is an aurvedic practitioner and dermatologist, it was a natural progression for Diipa to recognise the importance of combining ancient practices with modern-day wellness and clean science earlier on in her life.
indē wild is a proud Ayurvedistry brand – a term which has been trademarked to recognise how the brand represents a fusion of ancient Indian wisdom and modern-day science. Its approach combines Ayurvedic practices with biochemistry to create products that are both effective and culturally significant.
indē wild s journey from a self-funded Indian beauty startup in 2022 to a multi-million-dollar empire collaborating with global establishments today serves as a testament to the growing global interest in holistic Indian beauty practices and products.
Brands
Marico eyes gulf as digital brands set sights on Rs 4,000 crore by FY30
From vietnam to the middle east, marico bets big on digital-first growth
MUMBAI: Marico is gearing up to take its digital-first brands to the Gulf, targeting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as it seeks a fresh wave of international growth.
The Mumbai-based consumer goods giant, famous for Parachute hair oil and Saffola edible oils, is riding the surge in smartphone use and e-commerce adoption in the region.
“In the Middle East, we are focusing on markets like the UAE and KSA, which rank among the world’s most connected,” said MD and CEO Saugata Gupta.
Marico has been sharpening its digital edge over the past eight years, scooping up six homegrown online brands including Beardo, Just Herbs, and Plix. Earlier this month, it boosted its Southeast Asian presence with a 75 per cent stake in Vietnam’s Skinetiq, home to the brand Candid, for Rs 261 crore. Altogether, these deals tally to around Rs 1,665 crore.
The strategy is already paying off. Beardo has grown fivefold since joining Marico, while plant-based nutrition brand Plix has expanded six times in two years and pivoted from pure nutraceuticals into hair and skin food, significantly improving profit margins. Functional wellness brand Cosmix, with an annual revenue run-rate of Rs 100 crore, targets the protein deficiency gap affecting 73 per cent of India’s population and boasts high-teen Ebitda margins.
Gupta said the company is now eyeing profitable brands with annual revenues of Rs 100–150 crore, a sweet spot that allows rapid expansion without heavy losses. Organic launches continue to add spice. In Vietnam, Marico rolled out Astroman and Lashe, aimed at men’s and women’s personal care, using a social commerce model that taps bloggers and influencers on platforms like TikTok. After navigating currency and demand challenges, Vietnam returned to 22 per cent constant-currency growth in Q3 FY26, with double-digit momentum expected to continue.
The company’s broader digital strategy is organised as a three-pronged digital chessboard: digital foods, digital personal care, and global digital brands. Gupta projects that Marico’s digital portfolio could collectively generate Rs 4,000 crore by FY30, while its new businesses are expected to contribute roughly 33 per cent of total India revenues in the same period.
To boost margins in competitive categories like food, Marico plans to leverage its institutional weight by cutting costs through centralised media buying on platforms like Meta and Google and using high-velocity supply chain capabilities. In the Middle East, the group intends to replicate its Indian success by bringing digital food brands to markets with high smartphone penetration.
With this blend of strategic acquisitions, organic launches, and operational know-how, Marico is clearly betting that its digital-first brands will power the next chapter of growth, beyond staples and across borders.
