An Ayurvedic Journey

Sadhev, an Indian skincare brand, emerged on the horizon during a time of significant transformation in the perception of Ayurveda and yoga in the West. Co-founded by a visionary entrepreneur Lasakan Cholayil, who combined a passion for art, design, and Ayurvedic wisdom, Sadhev set out to revolutionize the skincare industry. The brand's journey, from its online launch in 2020 to its current position as a thriving D2C business, exemplifies the power of embracing sustainability, customer-centricity, and technological advancements.

How It All Began

Hailing from a family with close to 50 years of experience in the Ayurveda business, Lakasan joined the family business at Medimix, where the journey towards Sadhev commenced. Observing the glamorization of Ayurveda in India and the increasing demand for premium products, he identified an opportunity to introduce a new concept that bridges the gap between traditional wisdom and contemporary aspirations. The products are infused with insights from traditional Ayurveda, delicately blended with pure ingredients, and sourced responsibly and carefully from Sadhev’s own 80-acre sustainably grown organic sanctuary - Sadhevana in South India.

Sadhevana's farmers nurture the planet by practicing sustainable farming methods based on age-old agricultural knowledge. In order to employ only the cleanest and finest ingredients in each product, botanicals that do not grow in India are painstakingly collected from their real origins, from organic estates across the world. For Sadhev's unique infusions, chosen ingredients like Argan Oil from Morocco, Saffron Petals from the Afghan Valleys, Butters from Switzerland, and Rose Absolute from Bulgaria are used.

Distribution Model

Apart from driving sales through its official website, the brand has cultivated valuable partnerships with major contributors like Nykaa and Amazon. Furthermore, the brand is also available on various other platforms such as Tira and Tata CLiQ Luxury, among others.

“80-85 percent of our business comes from online channels, whereas the balance comes from the few offline channels we currently operate under,” said Lasakan.

In the offline retail space, Sadhev has established its flagship Exclusive Brand Outlet in Bengaluru, which marked the beginning of its physical store presence last year. Additionally, it has recently formed a partnership with Shopper Stop, enabling its products to be accessible at various Select Shopper Stop locations across the country. “We are proactively exploring opportunities in the quick-commerce domain. To this end, we have commenced trials by listing our products on Blinkit in both Bengaluru and Delhi,” he explained.

Diverse Offerings

The brand currently offers over 80 SKUs in categories like skincare, healthcare, and body care. It carefully curates products to address the needs of its target audience aged 25 to 40. “Right now we are focusing mainly on skincare, aka facial care and followed by body care. But as time goes by, there are other concepts that we're willing to explore, but it's still in a very decent ideation season,” stated Lasakan.

READ MORE: Ayurveda is Integral to Urban Healthcare Today

Strategic Growth Plans

While Sadhev's online presence remains strong, the brand acknowledges the importance of offline touchpoints in the skincare industry. The brand aims to open two stores in New Delhi and explore other major metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

Last year, the brand garnered revenue of Rs 7 crore, with an aim to double it this year.

“We aspire to position the brand as a torchbearer for Indian skincare on the global stage. With a mission to redefine Indian beauty and showcase the country's rich heritage and technological advancements, Sadhev aims to become synonymous with excellence in skincare worldwide,” he concluded.