Brands
ITC to acquire Mother Sparsh, expands natural baby care portfolio
MUMBAI: ITC Ltd. has announced definitive agreements to acquire the remaining 73.5 per cent stake in Mother Sparsh Baby Care Private Ltd. an Ayurvedic and natural baby care brand for Rs 81 crore, through a mix of primary subscription and secondary share purchase. This will bring ITC’s total investment in Mother Sparsh to approximately Rs 126 crore.
Mother Sparsh, which has been an associate company of ITC since 2021, has built a strong reputation among Indian mothers for its Ayurvedic, natural products spanning baby personal care, health and hygiene, and specialised baby care solutions. The brand’s digital-first model and robust presence across its D2C platform and e-commerce channels have helped it achieve an impressive annual revenue run rate of over Rs 110 crore.
The acquisition aligns with ITC’s ‘ITC Next’ vision, spearheaded by chairman Sanjiv Puri, which is focused on creating a future-ready portfolio by tapping into high-growth, digital-first segments.
ITC Ltd. divisional chief executive, personal care products business division Sameer Satpathy said, “This acquisition is an exciting opportunity, aligned with our aspiration to build a formidable portfolio of future ready, best-in-class innovative offerings that delights Indian consumers. Mother Sparsh in a true spirit of entrepreneurship, has created a reputed brand with Indian ethos in the natural baby care space, powered by an assortment of innovative products and a robust digital ecosystem.”
Mother Sparsh founder & CEO Himanshu added, “We are delighted that ITC, who came on board as an early investor, is now taking Mother Sparsh to the next level. This partnership is a testament to the brand’s potential in the fast-growing natural baby care segment. We’re confident that ITC’s institutional strengths will help serve the evolving needs of Indian mothers for generations to come.”
The acquisition process will be completed over the next two-three years, with the Mother Sparsh team including founder & CEO Himanshu continuing to head operations during this transition phase.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
