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JK Helene to phase out Tru Tone

Reeba Zachariah

J K Helene Curtis, the wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond, has decided to phase out its hair-dye brand, Tru Tone from the market.

"The company is in the process of phasing out the brand. We are also open to the option of selling the brand if we find the right buyer," said N N Mehta, executive director, J K Helene Curtis.

The idea behind the move is that the company will focus primarily on its lead brands- Park Avenue and Premium range of cosmetics and toiletries. While the Park Avenue range mainly concerns men's toiletries, Premium is positioned as a family product.

Tru Tone will have to take a backseat as there has also been a lot of competition from multinationals, Mehta said.

J K Helene Curtis launched Tru Tone in 1967 and at one point of time it had a market share of 30 per cent. Currently, Tru Tone has a turnover of Rs 50 million, Mehta said. Tru Tone is priced around Rs 55 and is available in black and brown shades.

In the Rs 2 billion plus hair-dye/hair colour market, Godrej Consumer Products commands a market share of 42 per cent, analysts said. Godrej hair dye has registered a turnover of Rs 910 million in the fiscal 2000-01.

The market for hair dyes/colour is growing at 15-18 per cent in value terms. "With increasing change in lifestyles and higher stress in urban areas, it appears that people are graying at a much younger age," analysts added.

It has the potential for a quicker growth considering that only 10 million people of the country's 950-million population use hair dye.

Riding on a growth platform of 20-22 per cent, J K Helene Curtis has projected a turnover of Rs 800 million in fiscal 2001-02. It is also expanding its distribution network from 150,000 outlets to 300,000 outlets.

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