Going Beyond Barriers And Breaking The Shackles
As the next generation of the Baidyanath Group, one of the most trusted names in Ayurveda for India since 1917, Vedika Sharma embodies the same zeal to bring quality Ayurveda solutions to everyone. Adding a new age intelligence to a group executing ancient traditions, her presence forms the perfect blend of expertise for the brand Mantra Herbals. Having grown up with deep rooted values embedded in Ayurveda, Vedika took her family knowledge and created a phenomenal independent brand.
Combining the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with pioneering manufacturing techniques perfected over a century, Mantra is an initiative of the Baidyanath Research Foundation that brings hair, skin care and spa products created by combining the best natural practices with modern technology and Baidyanath’s 100 year legacy. Vedika’s education includes a degree in Global Marketing Management from Regents University, London and an M.A. in Marketing Communications from University of Westminster, London.
Mantra Herbal, an initiative of the Baidyanath Research Foundation (BRF) is an organic, authentic and all-natural skin care brand founded by Vedika Sharma. It is deeply rooted in the ancient science of Ayurveda, from the Baidyanath Research Foundation (BRF) - a celebrated name in health and wellness with a 100 year old legacy. Having grown up with deep rooted values embedded in Ayurveda, Ms Vedika Sharma took her family knowledge and created a phenomenal independent brand and revolutionised the industry with a brand offering 100% natural ingredients skincare products to the millennials in the form of Mantra Herbal.
Talking about how her journey and how it began with Mantra Herbal, Vedika Sharma spoke about her story on Ayurveda and how she overcame challenges with her brand. Her vision includes making people aware of the benefits of Ayurveda, especially the younger generation, by reinventing it in India and reintroducing it to youngsters in a different format so that they can understand it better and start practicing it. She feels the best way of doing it was amalgamating Ayurveda with skincare, as she also had a passion for skincare since her childhood.
She also spoke about how Mantra Herbal is selling out of the USA, a few European countries and the Middle East, but she wants to open stores in India and all other countries as well on a large scale basis and go beyond e-commerce platforms. She makes it clear that the brand is all about Ayurveda mainly but will branch out with skincare and cosmetics. It is not going to be only a cosmetic brand. They are finding a balance between cosmetics and Ayurveda.
Challenges according to her is distribution, as some people don’t know about herbal skincare, and there are bigger companies as well and since the pandemic e-commerce was the path. As a woman she has faced multiple challenges. People don’t tend to take her seriously, she feels as she is young and a woman. She started the brand at the age of 22 years and at that time no one took her seriously.
Along with their own website she wants to expand Mantra through e-commerce. She wants to have standalone stores. They did a few trial and error practices and she feels that social media is everything now. Influencer marketing is the new marketing technique. As a customer herself she does 90% of her shopping off social media. Targeting users from the age of 18 to 60 years they are using strategies and new thought processes and also social media users.
Vedika believes in women empowerment. She feels that her business strategy core is empowering women. She likes to give women importance. 95% of her workforce consists of women and her products target mostly women. They work with women farmers to grow herbs for their products. They are an aspirational brand for the masses according to Sharma.
The market size in India for herbal cosmetics and Mantra Herbal, the beauty segment/market share is by 2025, 191 billion rupees. This segment is taking off and growing at 9% every year. The masses use soaps, shampoos, creams etc. and India is a huge opportunity for them as they want to grab the attention of the huge population.
Mantra Herbal started in 2015. They were properly available both online and offline by 2016. Their R%D is done by the Baidyanath Research Foundation. They have very bright scientists working with them. She has access to the best R&D resources as her family has this background in Ayurveda.
On a conclusive note she says that women empowerment is very important and she believes that women need to be taken more seriously in today’s scenario.
