McNamara says India is a key strategic market for the global group
Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN), a consumer company that is solely focused on better everyday health with global network, plans to expand its business in India by investing approximately £175 million in building a new oral health manufacturing site in Madhya Pradesh, supporting its strategy to reach one billion more consumers by 2030.
The new site, which is well-positioned in the middle of the country and close to some of India’s most renowned technical colleges, marks an important step in the delivery of Haleon’s Win as One strategy. Win as One focuses on unlocking growth, driving productivity and transforming the company’s culture. Strengthening its in-house supply chain capabilities will enable Haleon to be more resilient and able to adapt faster to consumer needs.
Haleon’s investment in India reflects the clear, structural shift towards prevention and daily self-care, with the country’s consumer health market expected to reach over £23 billion by 2030. India is already one of Haleon’s largest oral health markets and this latest investment will accelerate access to its portfolio of trusted, science-backed brands including Sensodyne and parodontax across rural communities, with ambitions to reach more than three million outlets by 2030.
Rural India is home to around 65% of the country’s population, spread across more than 650,000 villages, where unmet oral health needs remain significant. Access to dental care remains highly limited in rural India, where a single dentist may serve around 250,000 people. With as few as 1 in 7 people in rural communities visiting a dentist each year, many live with untreated conditions like tooth decay or sensitivity for years. With many not currently using specialist toothpaste such as Sensodyne, recommended by healthcare professionals, there is a significant opportunity to address unmet consumer needs.
With many households reliant on daily wages and increasingly value conscious, Haleon will also be rolling out access to high-quality, science based oral health products made with trusted ingredients through lower-cost, small-format toothpaste packs – including its Rs.20 Sensodyne pack – across significantly more towns and villages.
With sales and distribution teams now working directly into Haleon’s leadership, there is significant opportunity to transform how products reach consumers in new and innovative ways – supported by the recruitment of more than 500 people to its sales teams over the last 12 months.
Haleon is also investing in ‘last-mile’ capabilities, doubling frontline teams on motorbikes who are equipped with testing kits, samples and diagnostic tools and deployed to rural areas, which are often beyond the reach of traditional retail and pharmacies. Simple diagnostic tools, such as ‘chill tests’ – where consumers assess sensitivity by drinking cold water – help consumers recognise symptoms they may have had for years and connect them with science-backed treatment, often for the first time.
The company is also improving access by engaging rural communities directly through education, with its network of mobile oral health literacy vans. These Sensodyne-branded vans are designed to turn local squares and marketplaces into community hubs for oral health awareness, sensitivity and gum health checks, and immediate access to products.
Haleon CEO Brian McNamara said on 8 June, “India is a key strategic market for Haleon and an important driver of our long-term growth. This investment strengthens our local manufacturing footprint and expands our reach in one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer health markets. By increasing access to our trusted brands and building our capabilities on the ground, we are well positioned to capture the significant opportunities ahead.
“We aim to expand access to better everyday health for more than 300 million additional consumers in India. This will be key to achieving our broader ambition to reach one billion more consumers globally by 2030.”
The new manufacturing facility will create up to 500 jobs, strengthen local capabilities and support long-term economic development, reinforcing Haleon’s ambition to be an employer of choice in the country. It is expected to open in early 2028 with supply commencing the following year.
Madhya Pradesh is well-positioned in the centre of the country with the site selected due to its close proximity to infrastructure, higher education, logistics, talent and incentives, he said.
Haleon’s new operating model – announced early this year – established India Subcontinent as a distinct Operating Unit, reporting directly into the Chief Executive, reflecting the scale and growth potential of the market and reinforcing the strategic importance of this investment.
Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN) is a consumer company that is solely focused on better everyday health. The company’s product portfolio spans six major categories – Oral Health, Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS), Pain Relief, Respiratory Health, Digestive Health and Therapeutic Skin Health – such as Advil, Centrum, Otrivin, Panadol, parodontax, Polident, Sensodyne, Theraflu and Voltaren – are trusted by more than one billion consumers and are recommended by health professionals around the world. Fiinews.com
