In Conversation with Sridhar Joshi, Co-founder of OM Bhakti
1. How does OM Bhakti plan to maintain and enhance its position as the 'most trusted brand' in the Puja Samagri sector, and what strategies are in place to ensure continued consumer trust?
Our primary focus has always been on delivering the best quality products that are in line with traditional practices and spiritual guidance. We understand that the right quality for puja items is crucial, and it is defined by what is recommended in our scriptures, advised by senior Purohits, and suggested on reputable spiritual sources. By incorporating these valuable inputs into our product development process, we ensure that our customers receive items that not only meet but exceed their expectations for spiritual practices. This commitment to quality is fundamental to maintaining and enhancing our position as the 'most trusted brand' in the Puja Samagri sector.
Moreover, we have taken the innovative step of seeking certification from Government certified Labs for our products, something as simple yet vital as puja wicks which lights for minimum 12 hours. This might seem surprising, but it's part of our effort to provide that extra assurance to our customers for our products. Our Customers deserve to know that the products they use daily in their puja rituals, like puja oil, camphor, haldi, kumkum, Sindoor, Gangajal and many more, meet the highest standards. Apart from focusing on quality, we also emphasise the right packaging and hygiene to ensure our products are safe and convenient to use. Additionally, we include mantras which can be recited while using the products such as the Mantra to be recited while lighting the Diya/Lamp, thus enhancing the spiritual experience of our customers. All these efforts are directed towards building and sustaining trust among our consumers, ensuring they recognize OM Bhakti as a brand synonymous with quality and reliability in puja products.
2. OM Bhakti emphasises the natural and pure form of its products. Can you elaborate on the processes and quality checks in place to guarantee the authenticity and purity of your Puja Samagri products?
We take pride in the natural and pure essence of our Puja Samagri products. We meticulously source our raw materials, like special family cotton directly sourced from the farmers, ensuring its freshness and purity. Our products, such as cotton wicks and Panchadeepa oil, are made from unadulterated, natural ingredients to maintain traditional authenticity. We also offer innovative products like solidified ghee wicks, using pure cow milk ghee and similarly other puja samagri like haldi, kumkum, natural camphor etc.
In our manufacturing process, we replicate the sanctity of home-prepared Puja items. Strict protocols are followed in our facilities to avoid contamination, mandatory handwashing, and use of masks, caps, and gloves by our employees. Quality checks are integral to our process, including inbound, outbound, and in-process inspections. This rigorous approach ensures our products retain their purity and efficacy, enhancing the spiritual experience of our customers.
3. Could you discuss OM Bhakti's initiatives in generating rural ladies' employment and how these efforts align with your broader corporate social responsibility goals?
We are proud to discuss our initiatives in generating employment for rural women. Since inception, OM Bhakti has been dedicated to creating ladies self-help groups exclusively for our organisation. This approach stemmed from our desire to contribute positively to society. We source cotton from farmers and distribute it to our rural ladies self-help groups, thus providing women in rural areas with a valuable opportunity to utilise their spare 3-4 hours daily. These women earn by making cotton wicks, a process we've refined through quality checks and training, ensuring continuous improvement and professionalisation.
This system has been functioning cyclically for the last eight years and has become stable. As OM Bhakti grows, so does the number of women employed in rural India. Additionally, we are developing portable machinery to further enhance the earning potential of these women within the same timeframe. This initiative is a core part of our corporate social responsibility goals, reflecting our commitment to empowering women and fostering sustainable community development.
4. With a vision to reach 1 Million consumers by 2026, what specific steps and marketing strategies is OM Bhakti implementing to achieve this ambitious target?
Our vision to reach 1 million consumers by 2026 is underpinned by a multi-faceted marketing strategy. Firstly, we aim to deepen our penetration in the existing customer base across both online and offline platforms, including supermarkets and kirana stores. We're employing platform-specific marketing tactics to attract and retain customers, enhancing their engagement with our puja products. Secondly, we're expanding into new revenue streams. These includes targeting temple stores and government organisations, leveraging high footfall spiritual areas for maximum visibility. Furthermore, our D2C initiatives are crucial, encompassing both online channels and future physical stores. This dual approach - maximising current platforms penetration, where 6-7 million potential customers exist and tapping into new markets - forms the core of our strategy to effectively reach our target of 1 million consumers by 2026.
5. OM Bhakti's Cotton Wicks has been a flagship product. What do you attribute this success to, and how does it reflect the brand's overall approach to product development?
We believe the success of our Cotton Wicks comes from our commitment to making quality products, even for something as basic as cotton wicks. We put a lot of effort into this, like exploring different cotton mills and working with the Cotton Research Institute to find the best cotton fibre. Our customers have told us, through reviews on platforms like Big Basket, that they really notice the difference of Diya lighting till the next morning. They've shared how our wicks burn longer and with full consumption of puja oil, which is important for them. This approach of focusing on quality and what our customers value is at the heart of everything we do at OM Bhakti, and it's the same way we approach all our products.
6. Being the first organised brand in a largely unorganised sector, what challenges did OM Bhakti face, and how does it plan to secure 25-30% market share in the long run amidst growing competition?
At OM Bhakti, stepping into the organised puja needs sector was a tough ride. In the beginning, this area wasn't given much attention in stores, and it was hard to convince them to stock our products. We even had to agree to take back items that didn't sell, on top of paying fees to get our products listed.
Our plan for grabbing a 25-30% market share is all about being available everywhere. We want our products in all kinds of places - from temples to small local shops, online stores like Amazon, Flipkart and bigger retail chains. We're focusing on quality and coming up with new ideas, like special puja kits for festivals. These kits make it easier for people who are busy to get everything they need in one go.
One big thing that's helped us is how we fulfill orders. We're able to deliver on 90-95% of the orders we get, and that's made retailers trust and want to work with us. The future looks promising, as big names in retail are saying that puja needs will be one of the top growing categories. We're proud to have been a part of making this happen, despite the challenges we faced at the start.
7. How has OM Bhakti's approach to online retail and partnerships with e-grocery sites contributed to the brand's growth, and what future online strategies are you considering?
I can tell you that going online was a game changer for us. We started selling our products online before many others, and now, most of our sales come from there, more than from physical stores. Our partnerships with online grocery sites have really helped us grow. Then online retailers are getting bigger every year, and that's good for us too.
What's really exciting is how we're doing with quick commerce. We noticed that people often remember they need Puja items at the last minute - like incense or lamps - just before a festival or a Puja. Quick commerce helps us deliver these items super-fast, in about 10 to 15 minutes. This service has been a big hit and is growing fast.
Looking ahead, we're working with online grocery stores to reach even more people. We know a lot of people do Pujas and might be buying their Puja stuff the old way, going to a store near a temple. We want to change that. We're planning marketing campaigns to show people how easy it is to buy what they need for Pujas right from their phone or computer. It's about making it simpler for everyone and, at the same time, this category is also more profitable for the online stores. We believe Puja items should be a top category in online grocery shopping, and we're working to make that happen.
8. Could you share insights into OM Bhakti's strategy for modern retail success, particularly how you have managed to create a dedicated sub-category in Puja Needs in major retail chains?
Our journey to success in modern retail was a challenging but rewarding one. Initially, it was tough to get our Puja Needs products into major retail stores. We started by paying for shelf space so that stores wouldn't lose money, giving us a chance to prove that our products could sell well.
It took us about 1.5 to 2 years just to get this opportunity. We had to show that our products could bring in as much money per store as other regular fast-moving consumer goods. Once we did that, retailers started to take us more seriously and gave our products more space in their stores.
Persistency was key. We didn't just wait around; we actively followed up with retailers to get our products placed. We also made sure to offer products that catered to different local preferences, like different types of cotton wicks in different regions. This approach helped customers find exactly what they needed for their Puja rituals in one place.
Over time, we changed how people shopped for Puja items. Instead of just buying a single item like Agarbatti (incense sticks), we encouraged stores to create entire Puja Zones where customers could find everything they needed. This approach worked well, and now you'll see large Puja Zones in major Retail Chains.
9. How does OM Bhakti tailor its product offerings for major festivals, and what role do these plays in your annual sales strategy?
We make it easier for people to celebrate festivals. We know that during festivals like Shivaratri, Navratri, and Diwali, people need specific items for pooja, like Diyas, Chunri, Kalava, gangajal, vibhuti, and cow dung cakes. So, we put together special pooja kits for each festival. These kits have everything you need, from haldi, kumkum, sindoor, Gandha, gulal, janayu to a puja book with easy-to-understand mantras and shlokas in English. This makes things a lot simpler for our customers, especially during the busy festival times. It's also a big part of how we plan our sales every year. Our kits are priced well, like getting everything you need for Navratri or Diwali for just 249 rupees. This way, people can get all they need in one place, whether they're shopping for themselves or looking for gifts. We think it's important to help out during these special times, and that's a big reason why people remember and choose OM Bhakti.
10. With a significant export market potential for Puja Samagri products, what are OM Bhakti's plans for international expansion, and how do you plan to compete with existing players in the global market?
We're currently focused on serving our customers here at India. But we're definitely eyeing the global market for Puja Samagri products. We've already sent some test shipments to places like the UAE, Australia, and the USA, just to make sure we understand their rules and can meet them. Right now, we're not fully into exporting - we're thinking of really getting into it in the next two to three years. It's going to be a new challenge for us, especially since there are already local & cheap products out there in these markets. But we're gearing up for it. So, while our main attention is on meeting the needs of our customers here, we're also planning for how we can bring OM Bhakti to people around the world soon.
