‘Balancing traditional media with digital & influencers to speak to the many Indias’

Piramal Consumer Healthcare (PCH) has crossed a major milestone in FY25, breaching the ₹1,000 crore mark in a year when many consumer categories struggled. CEO Sai Ramana Ponugoti attributes this achievement to sharp choices, speed, and relentless execution.

“This milestone had three important ingredients — sharp choices, speed and relentless execution,” he says. “On our power brands, we made fewer but deeper investments, innovation contributed 11% of revenue with 50 launches, and our focus on e-commerce and modern trade gave us disproportionate growth.”

Tackling stigma and building purpose-led brands

Among its portfolio, i-pill remains a category-defining brand. With the new i-pill Daily campaign, PCH is tackling a critical challenge — consumer hesitation and retailer substitution at the point of purchase.

“The key insight was that when a woman goes to buy i-pill, retailers often substitute it with any other ordinary contraceptive,” Sai Ramana explains. “Given the taboo, consumers hesitate to ask. So we moved from product to purpose — we’re not just selling efficacy, we’re driving empowerment.”

He adds: “We’re speaking the language of young consumers, educating and encouraging them to prefer a brand they truly believe in, and surrounding them with relevant communication across all touchpoints.”

Expanding women’s wellness

The company’s women’s wellness portfolio is expanding to cover needs “from menarche to menopause.” Recent launches include period panties and panty liners, which, Sai Ramana says, are seeing strong traction.

“It’s a new form, fast-growing in the market. We are consciously empowering the consumer, giving her products that provide 360-degree faith and protection. And this is just the start — we want to be present with the best solutions across every stage of a woman’s life.”

Connecting with a diverse India

Excluding i-pill, PCH’s power brands such as Littles and Lacto Calamine grew 26% in FY25. Sai Ramana credits this to being digital-first, community-led, and culturally nuanced.

“We bring differentiation not just with functional benefits, but with emotional connect,” he notes. “It’s about balancing traditional media with digital and influencers, and ensuring we speak to the many Indias in their own languages and cultural contexts.”

Winning online

E-commerce grew 39% last year. For Sai Ramana, the biggest difference between online and offline lies in what he calls the ‘zero moment of truth’: search.

“To win with the digital-first consumer, you need to demonstrate customer love from search to doorstep,” he explains. “Online is about personalisation and precise targeting. Every click has to deliver a bang for the buck.”

Speed, relevance, and quality in innovation

With more than 50 new SKUs launched in a single year, ensuring quality at speed is no small task.

“Innovation is not a buzzword for us, it’s a revenue growth engine,” Sai Ramana stresses. “We work through cross-functional innovation squads, test products in agile ways to stay relevant, and invest heavily to ensure enough trials so that every new launch has the best chance of success.”

Balancing retail and modern trade

PCH invested ₹125 crore in promotions across trade and media in FY25. Retail, says Sai Ramana, is about striking the right balance between in-store presence, content, and digital discovery.

“What matters is ensuring that our product is available whether it’s to a quick-commerce shopper in Delhi NCR or a parent in Bharatpur discovering Littles wipes online,” he says. “That’s how we’ve taken online growth from 20% a few years back to upwards of 40% now.”

The road to FY30

Looking ahead, PCH has set a bold target of US$200 million by FY30. Sai Ramana has outlined six transformation priorities: integrated media spends, bigger innovations, profitable e-commerce growth, offline sales excellence, operational efficiency, and building a digital- and data-driven culture.

“It’s all about margin, reach and impact,” he says. “If we execute these transformations with excellence, we’ll be very much on track to deliver our FY30 goals.”

The future of healthcare in India

As CEO, what excites Sai Ramana most are the macro shifts shaping healthcare: rising wellness awareness, changing media habits, irreversible e-commerce adoption, and premiumisation.

“The future is here, but unevenly distributed,” he reflects. “Consumers are becoming more aware, self-care is growing, and convenience is non-negotiable. With our strong brands and organisational capabilities, Piramal is well-placed to tap these opportunities and shape a bright future for consumer healthcare in India.”