After selling Fem to Dabur five years ago, Sunita Ramnathkar, the former promoter of Fem Care Pharma, is back in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and retail business with her own brands in the skincare and kids segments, as the non-compete clause is now over.

A high-end skincare brand, Mitchell, from the US and Kids FMCG brand Pink Guppy are going to be the two new offerings from Ramnathkar, a pioneer in facial bleach in the early 1980s.

Non-compete clause

Having sold Fem for ₹300 crore, Ramnathkar had floated her own company in the US – Eudora Group Inc — which then acquired a minority stake in the $7-million cosmetics company Mitchell.

“Since the non-compete clause with Dabur is now over, we would now like to start Mitchell in India as the market for skin lightening is huge and has scope for growth,” says Ramnathkar, Director, Eudora Group.

Apart from the US, Mitchell is also available in Canada and the UK and is pitted against premium international skincare brands such as Sheiseido and Clarins.

“Mitchell is going to be suitable for Asian skin and would be in the premium luxury space.

“We will import some of the products and, going forward, India would serve as base for exports to other countries in Africa,” added Ramnathkar.

Nashik unit

In fact, group company Eudora Manufacturing, based in Nashik, will also be used to manufacture cosmetics and skincare under Mitchell.

Apart from skin lightening, Mitchell would also extend itself as an anti-aging, dark sport removal and skin polishing offering.

Ramnathkar intends to increase her stake in Mitchell Group from 33 per cent to 50 per cent and float a separate subsidiary in India.

Kids retail

There is also a foray into FMCG and retail in the kids segment under the Pink Guppy brand.

Apart from a slew of FMCG products such as soaps and shampoos, a kids’ furniture store under Pink Guppy Kids is being initiated by Ramnathkar.

“Kids retail is a new area and we are planning to make it affordable by manufacturing it here and looking at a franchise model in the future,” added Ramnathkar.

A 4,000-sq-ft Pink Guppy kids store has recently been launched at R-City mall in Mumbai.

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