Horlicks is a brand of malted milk hot drink powder that was developed by two British

brothers, William and James Horlick, in the United States in 1873. It was first sold as a food
supplement for infants, invalids, travelers, and soldiers. It became popular in India during
World War I, when it was introduced by the British army. Since then, Horlicks has become
one of the leading brands in the health food drink category in India, with a market share of
43.3% in 2019.
Horlicks is now owned by HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited), which acquired it from GSK
(GlaxoSmithKline) Consumer Healthcare in 2020. HUL’s goal for Horlicks is to leverage its
marketing and distribution strength to expand the reach and relevance of the brand in
India. HUL aims to tap into the megatrend of health and wellness and align Horlicks with its
purpose of 'nourishing a billion lives’. HUL also wants to help India address the challenges of
malnutrition, obesity, and micronutrient deficiency.

Goals
The goal of HUL for Horlicks is to leverage its marketing and distribution strength to expand the reach and
relevance of the brand in India. HUL aims to build a sustainable and profitable food and refreshment business in
India by tapping into the megatrend of health and wellness. HUL also wants to align Horlicks with its purpose
of ‘nourishing a billion lives’ and help India address the challenges of malnutrition, obesity, and micronutrient
deficiency.

HUL’s executive director and VP for foods & refreshment, Sudhir Sitapati, said that Horlicks is “an under-
leveraged brand” and that their focus is on market development and innovation3. He also revealed some of their
plans for Horlicks, such as launching new variants with extra zinc and protein, targeting different consumer
segments, and creating new communication campaigns.

Focus
they are mainly focusing on market development and innovation. They want to create new variants, target
different segments, and communicate their purpose of nourishing a billion lives. They also want to tap into the
health and wellness trend and address the nutritional challenges in India

Benchmark

Women’s Horlicks is one of the leading brands in the health food drink category in India. It competes with other
brands such as Bournvita, Complan, and Protinex.

Some of the factors that can be used to measure the benchmark of Women’s Horlicks are:

 Market share: The percentage of sales that Women’s Horlicks has in the health food drink market in
India. According to a report by Nielsen, Horlicks had a market share of 43.3% in 2019, followed by
Bournvita with 13.4% and Complan with 8.3%
 Customer satisfaction: The degree to which customers are satisfied with Women’s Horlicks in terms of
taste, quality, price, and availability. According to a survey by YouGov, Horlicks was ranked as the
most trusted brand in India in 2020, with a score of 86.8 out of 100.
 Brand value: The financial value that Women’s Horlicks adds to HUL as a result of its reputation,
recognition, and loyalty among customers. According to a report by Brand Finance, Horlicks was
ranked as the 10th most valuable brand in India in 2020, with a brand value of $2.1 billion.
Strategy
The strategy of HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited) for Women’s Horlicks is to position it as a bone nutrition
specialist that provides 100% daily requirement of Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 for women 1. Women’s
Horlicks is clinically proven to help improve bone strength in 6 months. It also contains artificial sweetener and
is suitable for calorie conscious women.

HUL wants to leverage its marketing and distribution strength to expand the reach and relevance of Women’s
Horlicks in India. HUL aims to tap into the megatrend of health and wellness and align Women’s Horlicks with
its purpose of 'nourishing a billion lives’. HUL also wants to help India address the challenges of malnutrition,
obesity, and micronutrient deficiency among women.

HUL’s strategy for Women’s Horlicks involves launching new variants with extra zinc and protein, targeting
different consumer segments such as pregnant and old age women, and creating new communication campaigns
that highlight the benefits of bone health3. HUL also competes with other brands such as Bournvita, Complan,
and Protinex in the health food drink category in India.

Target Market

The target market for Women’s Horlicks is the segment of health conscious urban working women, in metros
and mini-metros, between the ages 19-50, who lead hectic lives balancing career and family and hence not able
to take care of themselves in the bargain. Women’s Horlicks is a bone nutrition specialist that provides 100%
daily requirement of Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 for women. It is clinically proven to help improve
bone strength in 6 months. It also contains artificial sweetener and is suitable for calorie conscious women.

Women’s Horlicks competes with other brands such as Bournvita, Complan, and Protinex in the health food
drink category in India. It has a market share of 43.3% in 2019, followed by Bournvita with 13.4% and Complan
with 8.3%. It is also ranked as the most trusted brand in India in 2020, with a score of 86.8 out of 100.

Value Propositions
The value propositions offered by Women’s Horlicks are:

Functional value

 Horlicks is a bone nutrition specialist that provides 100% daily requirement of Calcium, Vitamin D and
Vitamin K2 for women. These nutrients are essential for maintaining bone health and preventing
osteoporosis.
 It is clinically proven to help improve bone strength in 6 months. It claims to increase bone mineral
density and reduce the risk of fractures.

Psychological value

 Horlicks contains artificial sweetener and is suitable for calorie conscious women. It has no added
sugar and zero cholesterol, catering to the needs of working women who want to manage their weight
and health.

Social Value
  Horlicks is a premium product that gives nutritional value to every segment in the market, be it a kid or
an adult. It follows value added pricing in its marketing mix, giving the consumers the value for the
money they spend.
 It is one of the leading brands in the health food drink category in India, with a market share of 43.3%
in 2019. It is also ranked as the most trusted brand in India in 2020, with a score of 86.8 out of 100.

Tactics
Products and Price
Women’s Horlicks has two delicious flavours: Caramel and Chocolate. You can buy them in different pack
sizes, such as 200 gm, 400 gm, and 750 gm. The price of Women’s Horlicks varies depending on the flavour,
pack size, and online store. Here are some examples of the prices of Women’s Horlicks products in India as of
October 2023

 Women’s Horlicks (Caramel, 400 gm) - ₹199

 Women’s Horlicks (Chocolate, 400 gm) - ₹266
 Women’s Horlicks (Caramel, 400 gm, Pack of 2) - ₹620
 Women’s Horlicks (Chocolate, 750 gm) - ₹339

Brand
Horlicks is a brand that is rooted in purpose and nourishment. It has a deep heritage, credibility, and resonance
around the world. It is also ranked as the most trusted brand in India in 2020, with a score of 86.8 out of 100.

Distribution
Women’s Horlicks products are available widely across groceries, supermarkets, pharmacies, medicine stores,
wholesalers, retailers, kirana stores and e-commerce websites in India. HUL has made sure that Women’s
Horlicks is available at every corner of the country. It is very important to have a strong distribution coverage to
drive volume growth. The company has manufacturing facilities in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

Communications
HUL’s communication campaigns for Women’s Horlicks are:

 #StandStrong: A campaign that celebrates the strength of women who overcome various challenges in their
lives. It features actress Taapsee Pannu as the brand ambassador and encourages women to take care of their
bone health with Women’s Horlicks.
 #FeedingOurFuture: A campaign that raises awareness about the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and
lactation. It features actress Rani Mukerji as the brand ambassador and urges mothers to nourish themselves and
their babies with Mother’s Horlicks.
 #BonesDon’tLie: A campaign that educates women about the risk of osteoporosis and how to prevent it with
Women’s Horlicks. It features actress Vidya Balan as the brand ambassador and invites women to take a bone
health test online.

Implementation

HUL’s business strategy for Women’s Horlicks is based on the following pillars:

 Product innovation: HUL continuously launches new variants and flavours of Women’s Horlicks to cater to
the changing needs and preferences of its target market. For example, it recently introduced Women’s Horlicks
with extra zinc and protein to support immunity and muscle health.
 Market development: HUL expands the reach and penetration of Women’s Horlicks in the rural and semi-
urban markets by leveraging its strong distribution network and Shakti initiative. Shakti is a program that
empowers rural women to become entrepreneurs and distributors of HUL products.
 Brand building: HUL invests heavily in creating awareness and recall for Women’s Horlicks through various
communication channels, such as TV, print, digital, and social media. It also uses celebrities, influencers, and
testimonials to endorse the brand and build trust.
 Customer engagement: HUL engages with its customers through various online and offline platforms, such as
websites, apps, blogs, events, contests, and feedback mechanisms. It also provides value-added services, such as
bone health tests, nutrition tips, and recipes.

Control
how HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited) controls the performance of sale of Women’s Horlicks.

 One example is how HUL monitors the market share of Women’s Horlicks in the health food drink
category in India. According to a report by Nielsen, Horlicks had a market share of 43.3% in 2019,
followed by Bournvita with 13.4% and Complan with 8.3%. HUL uses this data to measure and
evaluate the sales performance of Women’s Horlicks against its competitors.
 Another example is how HUL evaluates the return on investment (ROI) of Women’s Horlicks’
marketing campaigns. ROI is a metric that indicates the profitability and efficiency of a marketing
activity. HUL calculates the ROI by dividing the net profit generated by the campaign by the total cost
of the campaign. HUL uses this metric to assess the impact and value of its marketing efforts for
Women’s Horlicks.
 A third example is how HUL corrects and improves Women’s Horlicks’ marketing strategy by using
SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a technique that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats of a product or a brand. HUL uses this technique to generate and implement new ideas and
solutions for enhancing its marketing performance for Women’s Horlicks.