Pulse catches the pulse of Indian market, hits Rs 300 cr sales in 2 years

In the past, there have been instances when brand new products from India gained market share over established MNC products. However, this time around, the development has happened in a matter of two years.

The product in question is Pulse, the candy with a tangy raw mango taste, which was launched by DS Group, the makers of Rajanigandha pan masala, Catch bottled water and spices, and Pass Pass mouth freshener.

Last month, the candy, which is sold for Re 1 per piece, hit the Rs 300 crore sales mark, leaving behind brands like Oreo, which clocked Rs 283 crore in sales and Mars bars, which did Rs 270 crore of sales. Both the brands were launched in 2011, much before Pulse’s debut in 2015.

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The success story is even more astonishing since there is a stiff competition in the sweet candy sector in India, which includes hard boiled candies, mints and jellies and is estimated at Rs 6,600 crore. The y-o-y growth in this sector is around 12-14%.

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Pulse finds its main competitors in Parle's Mango Bite and Perfetti’s Alpenliebe, both of which have been around for more than ten years, while several local brands also exist in the competition.

"Pulse is a highly scalebale brand and it has resonated exceptionally well with consumers. The brand has huge potential," Shashank Surana, senior VP (new product development), DS Group told ET.

As per industry and retail officials, Pulse gained the market because of its tangy taste.

"Local taste that can produce a blockbuster...home-grown taste always finds acceptance faster if launched in new forms," said Devendra Chawla, chief executive of Future Consumer.

(Image source: FireFlyDaily)