According to a PwC report, the Indian wellness sector is projected to grow to Rs 1,00,000 crore by 2015. If you want a share of this pie, read on as Parina Sood tells you about the franchise opportunity being offered by a renowned brand in the sector- VLC
Share with us the vision of VLCC and how it came into being.
VLCC's vision is to ensure a better quality of life for everyone by adopting and pursuing ethically and socially relevant business practices aimed at shaping up people's confidence and making health, beauty and fitness accessible to all sections of society. One of the leading players in the wellness domain in South Asia and Middle East, Vandana Luthra Curls and Curves (VLCC) began its journey in 1989 with a transformation centre in New Delhi. At that time the Indian wellness market was still at a nascent stage and the idea of combining fitness and beauty as an approach to holistic wellness was a completely new paradigm. The driving force behind the brand has been its founder and mentor, Vandana Luthra.
What makes your brand promising?
The VLCC Group manages the largest chain of slimming, beauty and fitness centres across Asia. It runs Asia's largest chain of vocational education academies in beauty and nutrition. The brand also manufactures and retails a comprehensive range of skin care, hair care and body care products through over 80,000 retail outlets.
Pioneering the wellness sector in India, VLCC is the world's first slimming, fitness and beauty corporate to get the ISO 9001:2000 certification and SA 8000:2001 and ISO 14001:2004. It is also the first company to get the SA: 800O (social accountability) certification for implementing corporate social responsibility standards. The VLCC Group has been awarded the ISO:14001 certification for meeting global environment standards.
In 2012, VLCC received the prestigious NABH (National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, India) certification. VLCC has a pan-India footprint. Recognised by Superbrands and PowerBrands, its products and services have won numerous awards in the wellness domain.
What inspired you to opt for the franchise route and why do you think it is apt for your brand?
Since awareness about health and well-being is no longer restricted to big cities and has spread to smaller towns, cities and rural areas; VLCC decided to opt for the franchise route. Wellness has become a gender-neutral concept and is also no longer a youth-centric segment. These factors, coupled with VLCC's mission to make wellness accessible to all sections of society nationwide prompted the brand to look at growth through franchisees in tier II and III towns and cities.
Where do you see your brand five years down the line?
Over the next five years, VLCC intends to consolidate its dominant position in the Indian wellness sector and also emerge as a premier player worldwide by attaining market leadership status in the body shaping arena in all the geographies where it is present.
SAMIR SRIVASTAV, CEO, VLCC Franchise Operations
“We have successfully integrated all marketing initiatives to benefit franchisee- owned outlets. The VLCC customer loyalty programme “way of life” has been introduced at all franchise outlets. These franchise centres and salons also benefit from pan-India corporate tie-ups.”
Franchise facts
Investment: Rs 22-25 lakh (salon) & Rs 40-45 lakh (wellness centre)
Area: 750-1000 sq ft (salon) & 1500-1700 sq ft (wellness centre)
Location: Across India (tier I, II and III cities)
RoI: 20-30%
Franchise units: 46 wellness centres globally
Expansion plans: 75 new franchisees by December 2013
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