The Birth and Growth Trajectory of the Brand PHOOL

Introduction

Today, the only way to save our planet is to start getting into the habit of recycling, reusing, and reducing. Companies as well as individuals have to reduce their carbon footprint. Waste management is crucial to learning as well as the solution to many of our problems. Companies have to come up with a circular economic system to strengthen their hold on the market.

PHOOL is one such company that is high on sustainability, the Go Green approach, and the circular economy model. In this article, we will dive deep into the birth and growth trajectory of PHOOL so as to understand the brand and its unique positioning in the cutthroat business environment.

The Birth of PHOOL Brand

Image 1 − Incense cones

In 2015, on the special occasion of Makar Sankranti, that Ankit Agarwal, the founder of PHOOL, was visiting the Ganga River (one of the most sacred rivers in India). As Ankit and his friend Jakub were sitting on the Ghats of Ganga, they noticed that thousands of devotees were taking a bath, drinking the Ganga water, and also storing it in bottles for their home puja. This very water had mucus all over it and was mixed with different toxins from industrial waste, sewage, and puja ceremonies. It was a different day because today, instead of just leaving the experience to that, Ankit decided to do something about the waste originating from the mandirs. It was a tough journey, but everything was worth it.

PHOOL was born to create incense sticks and aromatic candles from the waste flowers after the ritual ceremony. PHOOL, as a brand, is a way to help the community and society at large. Today, PHOOL is manufacturing incense sticks, incense cones, essential oils, puja samigri, refill packs, décor, votives, and gift boxes. PHOOL originated in the soil of Kanpur, India. For PHOOL, the three pillars are our people, our community, and the Ganges.

The major competitors of PHOOL apart from the regular non-sustainable brands today are Yuvan, Holy Waste, Essent by Arpan, Aaruhi Enterprise, and others.

PHOOL has received prestigious awards, such as −

• United Nations Momentum of Change Award at COP 2018

• Alquity Transforming Lives Awards, London

• Breaking the Wall of Science, Berlin

• The Wharton India Economic Forum

• BIRAC Innovator Award 2021 for Fleather by the Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu Ji.

The Growth Trajectory of PHOOL Brand

Image 2 − Flowers kept as temple offerings, usually seen outside most of the Indian temples. (Attribution: 28Shrutyy, Pink is the Navy Blue of India!, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The journey of growth was not easy for PHOOL. The brand has faced many obstacles and also received a lot of criticism from the community, but the spirit of not giving up and making a difference prevailed. Some of the pointers from the growth trajectory of PHOOL are

Circular Economy Model

PHOOL works in a circular economy model. The main raw material for PHOOL is temple waste. Research and development are the main assets of PHOOL, and the products from PHOOL are then mostly used for ritual ceremonies.

Employees of PHOOL

PHOOL wanted the community to develop, and hence, for the manufacturing and packaging of the products, PHOOL employed the Dalit, the untouchable, and the lower-class women. These women can finally get a job that is respectful enough and earn some cash for making their lives better. PHOOL had affected more than 365 families.

More than 73 households that earlier used to work as manual scavengers today earn six times more than their income in a respectable job, and more than 19 mothers have even enrolled their kids in school. PHOOL is dedicated to the growth of society.

The Production Process of PHOOL

In a survey, it was found that only in East Asia do more than 800 metric tons of flower waste get disposed of in river bodies by various temples and mosques. PHOOL, as a brand, wanted to do something for marine life, the Ganges, and other communities. The major concern of PHOOL is to develop products that can be manufactured with the waste from religious ceremonies.

PHOOL was sent away many times by the temple management team because they believed that the flowers had religious value for the devotee as well as for the temple, and hence commercializing them did not seem appropriate. PHOOL, however, did not give up and showed again and again how the products from PHOOL are only going to be used to prepare products for religious worship.

To date, PHOOL has converted 11, 060 metric tons of temple waste. PHOOL also produces vegan leather bags and covers them with waste material. The paper cover that comes with PHOOL products can be converted into Tulsi and other plants just by sowing them in mud and pouring water on them.

Pricing of PHOOL Products

The profit margin for PHOOL is high. Still, consumers are ready to purchase the products from PHOOL because of their sustainable and go-green nature. PHOOL is not selling incense sticks to the consumer but a way in which the cutters can take a step towards conserving the environment. 40 to 45 incense sticks are served in a box, and the cost is Rs 165.

Marketing Communication Strategy of PHOOL

PHOOL mainly uses digital marketing to sell their products. PHOOL has a good hold on website marketing and social media marketing. PHOOL diligently invests in search engine marketing and search engine optimisation as well. PHOOL is going with the trend of aesthetics and sustainability to target their upper-class target customers.

Conclusion

PHOOL understands and realizes that bringing about change is difficult. Whenever we have asked the community to change for a better tomorrow, we have always had strikes, revolts, and other manifestations, but change is necessary. PHOOL never gave up on the dream of having a better tomorrow and improving society, and hence today, PHOOL is one of the organizations that are not only a success but has been recognized for its efforts by various renowned institutions. PHOOL is a company for the future and a better India.