Unilever bets big on India, plans rollout of premium beauty and wellness brands

Unilever is sharpening its focus on India as a key market for the next phase of growth for its premium beauty, wellness and personal care portfolio, with the company planning to introduce several of its high-end global brands to the country over the coming years.

Speaking at the 2026 edition of the dbAccess Global Consumer Conference, Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez said India will play a central role in the company’s long-term growth strategy as it continues to expand its presence in higher-margin categories.

“We got late to the Chinese party. We will not get late to the Indian party,” Fernandez told investors, referring to Unilever’s growing portfolio of digitally native disruptive brands.

The company is currently scaling brands such as Olly, Nutrafol, Hourglass, K18 and Liquid I.V. in the United States before expanding them internationally. According to Fernandez, these brands are gaining traction globally and are expected to enter India when market conditions are favourable.

“These are brands we are building in the USA, achieving critical mass, and internationalising. They are close to making €80 million in China. We now have a portfolio of super-premium brands that will travel into India at the right time when the markets develop,” he said.

Unilever also highlighted the growth potential of Minimalist, the skincare and haircare brand acquired by Hindustan Unilever in April 2025. The company sees the brand as a strong vehicle to tap into India's growing premium beauty segment while also offering opportunities for expansion across Asia.

“Playing in the face and hair segments in the country, a very strong brand to capture the India premium opportunity, has the potential to go into other Asia markets too,” said Unilever CFO Srinivas Phatak.

India currently contributes approximately 16% of Unilever’s global revenue, underscoring its importance within the company’s portfolio. Fernandez described the country as one of the most significant growth opportunities for the coming decade.

“We have incredible exposure to India… a country that will be a large exponential growth opportunity for the coming decade,” he said.

The comments come shortly after Hindustan Unilever inaugurated the Unilever Fragrance Hub in Mumbai, a facility that forms part of the company’s global research and development network and reinforces its commitment to innovation and premiumisation in the Indian market.