2020 has been an extraordinary year. The pandemic with its socio-economic and psychological implications not only deeply impacted our lives but also drew our attention towards health. Eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle became a priority for everyone. Suddenly people started realizing the importance of wellness and building immunity. For Gaia, a leading health and wellness brand, 2020 has been a year of growth, progress, and learnings.
Despite the COVID-induced disruptions, the brand has fared well. Overall online sales have increased 2x since last year, while customer acquisitions in eCommerce saw a 60% surge. The average recovery growth has been 10-20% as compared to the last financial year. With the health and wellness industry booming, the brand has registered a 20% growth since last year. It includes sales in General Trade, Modern Trade, and eCommerce/online sales, with the latter seeing a 50% growth, specifically.
It is worth noting that the upended routines and teleworking culture called for a nutritious diet to deal with the stress. Owing to this, breakfast cereals such as Muesli and Oats were high on demand online. Green tea, Olive Oil, a range of seeds, A2 Cow Ghee, and nutritional supplements were popular categories in both general as well as modern trade. Health food substitutes also saw greater traction.
The pandemic also came as lesson for many brands, and Gaia was no different. It showed how agility and adaptability in terms of technology is indispensable going forward. The digital medium helped the brand sail through choppy waters. Logistics and warehouse management were some of the biggest challenges in the initial two months of the lockdown, which resulted in sluggish offline sales. However, the brand’s sales force turned it into an opportunity, launching a 48-hour doorstep delivery program pan India to tide over the disruptions.
Ending the year on a high note, Gaia is rolling out its eCommerce website by May 2021. It is expected to further increase the reach of the brand 4x in Tier-1 cities. Moreover, placing Free Standing Units to showcase Gaia’s complete range in over 200+ outlets across India will catalyse the brand visibility and loyalty in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
Speaking on the journey in 2020, Dolly Kumar, Founder & Director at Cosmic Nutracos Solutions Pvt. Ltd., the parent company to Gaia said, “The year saw many ups and downs, but the continuous attention over health and nutrition comes as a blessing in disguise for all of us. Overall, the pandemic has taught us to prioritize and recover from the falls. As much as it is imperative to adjust your business tactics to keep going, everything except health can take a back seat. The positive growth underpins that people are now taking health seriously making small changes in their dietary habits.”
