Sirona, the Indian personal hygiene brand, has announced its acquisition of the sexual wellness brand Bleu, known as India’s first vegan condom brand. This also marks the brand’s foray into the fast-growing sexual wellness category in India. Sirona was acquired by the Indian beauty & personal care company, the Good Glamm Group, in December 2021.

The synergy between Sirona and Bleu

As per Deep Bajaj, Co-Founder of Sirona, “With this acquisition, we have added India’s first vegan condoms to our existing portfolio in the intimate and menstrual hygiene categories.”

Contrary to the existing category codes, Bleü condoms are made keeping in mind the women user and their needs and that is what caught our attention, adds Bajaj.

Bleu has had an interesting trajectory, since its launch in 2019 by the founder Komal Baldwa who introduced the Indian consumer to the first-ever vegan condoms crafted from 100% responsibly sourced natural latex.

In addition, Bleu condoms have significantly lower levels of protein compared to conventional alternatives and are also free from chemicals like parabens, glycerine, benzocaine, and nitrosamines making them safe and comfortable for use by both partners.

Sirona has been all about offering an ecosystem of feminine care, to help solve unaddressed problems for women, and Bleu with its USP fits very well into its portfolio. The company has launched many products in the female hygiene industry, that include menstrual cups, PeeBuddy urination devices and urination Funnel to assist women to stand and pee in dirty toilets, India’s first pain relief patch for relieving period pain, rash-free Black Pads, etc. It also launched India’s first Period Tracker on WhatsApp, which can be handy to track periods as well as planning pregnancy.

Why a ‘vegan’ condom is a healthy business choice

Condoms looking at a women’s needs and comfort has not been a conversation done often, or at all – a phenomenon that is common not just in India but across the globe. Says Bajaj, “The condom category has been mostly about what men want, and rarely seen usage from the lens of women and their comfort.”

Regular condoms, owing to their chemical composition, often cause vaginal discomfort for the women, such as itching, dryness, and irritation. This is even more relevant for women above the age of 30, who may experience hormonal changes, adding to the discomfort, but they do not have any options.

There is a product need and gap for condoms focusing on women’s comfort and needs, and to address this market gap, Bleu was launched “as a passionate brand that caters to the needs of women”, shares Komal Baldwa, founder, Bleu Condoms.

The future playbook

It would be interesting to see how Sirona would build the first vegan condom, in a market like India, where condoms as a category have yet to take off fully. Bleu, since its launch in 2019, has been built largely via word-of-mouth and testimonials from customers. The acquisition by Sirona will help in taking the brand to the next level with more sustained marketing and also an enhanced digital presence, shares Bajaj. It would also help that the millennial and GenZ consumers, with a higher sexual awareness, are also more informed and empowered consumers – and would take to the product much more easily.

Says Baldwa, “This acquisition is a significant milestone for us, as it allows us to leverage Sirona’s extensive expertise and resources to expand reach and impact.”

As per the release, the company targets to make Bleu, as part of the sexual wellness category of Sirona, a sizable brand by 2025 contributing to 15-20% of the overall sales of Sirona.

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