Established in 2017, QraaMen is one of the leading labels in men’s grooming & personal care industries of India. It combines the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with the cutting-edge technology of the 21st century to produce a range of skin, beard, hair, and body care products for men. Based in Delhi, QraaMen delivers its quality products all over the country. The name of the company delivers a playful and fun sentiment, while the horns symbolize that our customers stand out from the crowd. The brand firmly believes that men’s requirements for personal care are unique and they need dedicated products to take care of those needs. Men’s grooming and personal care are two of the fastest-growing sectors in the Indian beauty industry and QraaMen envisions to become an eminent name in both divisions.
While there are many other companies bringing out personal care products for men, not many are offering natural and organic products. Many falsely believe that the bodies of men need extra-strong ingredients to show results. However, QraaMen is dedicated to finding solutions to problems in nature and then combining it with modern science to create effective formulations for men. Based on market research and scientific study, we are continuously coming out with revolutionary self care products to solve the personal care issues of men.
Every product we make contains a combination of herbs or extracts to enhance the health of skin, hair or body. All our products undergo strict quality supervisions as per Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). QraaMen has also earned an ISO 9001 (2000) certification, proving the premium quality of each product it manufactures.
I started QraaMen with my father Mr Raj Gupta, who is an experienced entrepreneur in the skincare and beauty industry for more than the last 25 years. There are no partners at the moment but I have a team that works dedicatedly for the growth of the company.
How did you come up with the idea of QraaMen? What is its USP?
During my school times, I always used to notice my father when he worked. I sometimes even accompanied him to work trips and meetings. I had started developing an understanding of the industry back then. That is when I decided that I was inspired and equipped to enter this business. I find it fascinating because no education or degree gave me my life’s ambition but the precious time I spent with my father did.
A few years ago, I ventured on a hunt to find herbal, chemical-free, and affordable products formulated for my own skin type in the Indian market. I failed to find products that were a perfect balance of quality, quantity, and worth. In fact, I was astounded to see a big gap in the supply of natural personal care products that were suitable for men. That is when I consulted with my father and did some market research. In 2017, I finally expanded my idea of natural care products for men and established Qraa Men under the ambit of R.G. Biocosmetics, my father’s company.
t took me a few months to set up the business as we already had the basic required infrastructure. My father’s guidance and my knowledge of technical know-how also helped me get the name out pretty quickly. We are based in New Delhi in India. In the beginning, we used to deliver only in the capital and some nearby states, but channeling the power of the internet, now we deliver across India.
We create products associated with men’s grooming and personal care in four segments- beard, body, face and hair. Because we craft beard oils, serums, wax, body scrubs, hygiene wash, face wash, gel, scrub, pack, hair serum, shampoo, conditioner, mask and oils. We are a digital-first brand, so we make money by selling our products online. Our target audience is metrosexual men, mainly of the Millenial and GenZ categories. Our biggest competitors are Beardo, The Man Company, Ustraa & MensXP. We measure productivity by not just sales and also brand awareness, which we believe is important in the digital age. Our competitive advantage is that our products are not only natural but also scientifically researched, cruelty-free and affordable.
What is your vision for QraaMen & how do you plan to achieve it?
Conservative stereotypes against men’s grooming have been around in India for years. Men who care about themselves are regarded as ‘unmanly’. Taking care of beauty and personal care is considered to be the job of a woman. While many companies and art forms have tried to break such illogical stereotypes, there is still a long way to go. Another problem is that many men who actually want to take care of themselves lack awareness of products that they should use.
With Qraa Men, I want to create a generation of men who break stereotypes associated with men’s grooming and set a new milestone in the industry. We want to generate awareness in men about what kind of products they should use to address a specific issue and understand their uniqueness. They should realise that women’s care products are not suitable for them and they need something that works for their skin or hair. Qraa Men wants to ensure that men understand that they can benefit from natural and cruelty-free products. We want not only men, but all genders to understand how what they are putting on their skin or hair might be impacting the environment.
One of the best marketing practices that we have found while developing Qraa Men from the ground up is ‘Influencer Marketing’. We partner with notable names from the industry and find the most suitable representatives such as Sahil Khan and other youth icons to use and promote our products on their social media. This is one of the most prominent ways in which we acquire customers. We also invest in lead generation through digital marketing, so that customers interested in any segment of products we offer could arrive at our website and make a purchase. We have not yet collaborated with any organisations.
In the next 10 years, I want to see myself heading one of the most successful and innovative companies in the Indian men’s grooming and personal care sector. I want Qraa Men to have a range of unique and premium quality products the likes of which cannot be sighted in the Indian market.
How is the company culture like at QraaMen?
At Qraa Men, we have a very open and inviting culture. We always motivate our employees to pitch in and participate in the product development lifecycle. The main skill that I look for while hiring employees or team members is their zeal. I believe that if you have the fire to know things and do things, you can do anything. Apart from that, I prefer candidates that are ambitious, flexible and have a basic know-how of their job. We have an office in Okhla where employees come together during office hours.
We do allow working from home. In fact, we made it compulsory during the entire corona period until the situation improved. I do not rely on any software to monitor the performance of company employees. I have a close relationship with each member of my team and I am always aware of their productivity levels. My team is small but close-knit. We do not believe in overly corporate culture but in helping each other perform better with coordination and cooperation.
What are the challenges you faced & how did you overcome them?
Even after you highlight a notable market gap, there are factors that can restrict you from making a mark. One of those factors is the overcrowding of the men’s grooming and personal care market with some good but mostly subpar products. When you add another product to a crowded market, making it stand out becomes a huge problem. While you can follow the old ways of doing business, that can prevent you from realising the full potential of your business. Additionally, my father has a lot of street smartness and understands the veins of physical selling, but in the digital age, that is not enough.
That is what led me to take the boldest decision ever to make this venture work. I invested my time and energy in integrated marketing communications. And decided to harness the benefits of technology to create a unique brand persona for Qraa Men. This took a considerable amount of time and resources, but it worked. Using the power of social media and e-commerce, we were able to bring Qraa Men in front of a country-wide audience. I am still battling with a number of challenges such as bringing out more innovative products or making my existing ranges better based on feedback and new research, but a journey without challenges cannot be rewarding.
Apart from Qraa Men, I also head two other companies- Namyaa Skincare and Arama Naturals. Recently, the rose gold oil from Arama Naturals won the Cosmopolitan Award. Since we are planning a similar range for Qraa Men, we expect many more accolades and awards to follow. I started Qraa Men with my own personal savings and as of now, there has been no external funding.
How do you manage your work life balance?
Since my father is a managing director in the company, it does become a little difficult to separate work life and family life. We have laid ground rules not to talk about business outside the office. When we are at home, we either have an elaborate lunch or play card games. We also quite enjoy outings with our family and friends. I like to spend as much time as possible with my family. With whatever is left, I like to read business news, latest research, market studies etc.
In the generation of multitasking, I believe that one has to be a jack of all trades. So, I would rather be good at a lot of things than an expert at just one thing. I have faith that one can learn anything they want if they just try hard enough. But I consider myself a combination of a hardworking and smart person. Because I know that smartness is a must, but you cannot make big changes without hard and consistent work. So, I do not strive for perfection, but consistency.
Currently, I am learning about new techniques to take Qraa Men to the top. For example, I am studying many innovations in the digital arena that can help the beauty and skincare industry. You can say it’s inherited, but I believe in practical knowledge much more than any other form of learning.
My father is without a doubt my idol and biggest motivator. He has always helped me overcome my flaws and be a better businessman.
As a matter of fact, I do consider myself successful. I do not measure success by profits, but the kind of connections I have made. Since the very beginning of Qraa Men, I have collaborated with some very knowledgeable and skilful people. Knowing them and learning from them has been a huge pleasure. That is the meaning of success for me.
What advice would you give to Young Entrepreneurs/Startups?
To all the young entrepreneurs I want to say that there is a tough but rewarding life ahead of you. It is important never to fall in love with your product and keep improving it until it becomes the best in the market. It is also essential to conduct timely market research to understand your target customer’s needs and requirements. Never rush the process, but trust the process.
I have not invested in any startup as of now. I plough back the revenues to my other ventures such as Namyaa Skincare and Arama Naturals. In the future, we are launching Namyaa Lifesciences, under which we are introducing natural health supplements to answer reproductive health issues and period problems for women.
About Karan Gupta
Karan Gupta is the founder of a range of personal care brands including Qraa Men, Namyaa Skincare and Arama Naturals. He has immense respect for the bountiful gifts of nature and their positive effects on the body. That is why, natural, organic and cruelty-free ingredients are at the core of all his brands. Qraa Men is a special venture as it is one of those homegrown labels spearheading the arrival of a natural, gentle. And the effective variety of products to solve specific personal care problems for men. On the other hand, Namyaa Skincare develops products to take care of female personal hygiene issues. And offers an attractive range of natural products for women. Arama Naturals is dedicated to bringing innovative and effectual products and promotes the idea of natural beauty.
He is also coming out with a few very special projects soon. One is based on the ‘edible beauty’ or healthcare segment. Under the label of Namyaa Lifesciences, he will be introducing plant-based and pure herbal supplements. And that will address specific reproductive health issues in women such as period pain, PCOD, PCOS etc. This will be an entry in the future of skincare, which is ‘edible’.
Another project for Qraa Men is for revolutionary and innovative products for men’s grooming such as keratin-infused oils, gold oils, and more. As an entrepreneur, he likes to know the pulse of the industry and steer his brands accordingly.
Contact & Follow Qraa Men:
| Business Name | Qraa Men |
| Headquarter | New Delhi |
| Founders | Mr Karan Gupta & Mr Raj Gupta |
| Sector/Industry | Men’s grooming & personal care |
| Founded (month/year) | 2017 |
| Parent Organization | RG Biocosmetics |
| Contact Detail Phone | +91 98110 94190 |
| karan.gupta@qraa.co.in | |
| https://www.facebook.com/qraamen/ | |
| https://instagram.com/qraamen |
