Wipro Enterprises’ Santoor becomes India’s largest Soap Brand

Santoor from Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting, has emerged as the country’s largest soap brand, marking a defining milestone in its nearly four-decade-long journey.

The brand with its distinctive sandalwood-and-turmeric proposition saw a modest test launch in Bangalore in 1985, followed by a national roll-out in 1986. Santoor has today grown into a Rs 2,850 crore personal wash behemoth - in terms of company invoiced sales (INDAS) for last 12 months, now becoming the largest Soap brand. 

Santoor championed the relatable promise of “younger-looking skin” for the everyday Indian woman. This positioning came to life through the iconic ‘Santoor Mom’ which has been used consistently, but the portrayal changed over the years keeping pace with the changing aspirations of women and celebrating the multiple roles women balance – something that deeply resonated with consumers. The brand has worked hard to continuously enhance the product performance and packaging over the years and make Santoor synonymous with its vibrant orange colour. Santoor’s journey has been built on strong operational execution and an intense focus to win the top spot across key markets.

Reflecting on the incredible milestone, Vineet Agrawal, CEO, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting and Managing Director, Wipro Enterprises, said, “Becoming India’s largest soap brand is a moment of quiet pride for all of us at Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting. Santoor’s journey has been shaped by deep consumer understanding, disciplined execution, and the belief that consistent value creation wins over time. We have worked assiduously to give great quality to the consumer, by constantly upgrading the product, be it in perfume, superior sensorial or performance in hard water, which combined with exciting advertising - have all helped shape the brand’s success.”

Neeraj Khatri, Chief Executive, Wipro Consumer Care, said, “This milestone fills us with immense pride and is a testament to the extraordinary dedication and passion of our factory teams, frontline colleagues, and business teams across geographies. The teams had a deep conviction on Santoor and an unwavering zeal to become the leader, which was backed with relentless hard work and a steadfast commitment to quality and operational excellence. We are deeply grateful for the unwavering trust and collaboration of our distributors and partners whose support has been integral to this journey, and we sincerely thank them for their continued partnership, that has helped build lasting consumer confidence and market leadership.”

In 1986 - a clearly defined brand positioning enabled Santoor to establish itself – generating revenues of just Rs 60 crore in its first decade. By the late 1990s, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting made a decisive strategic shift to focus on growing high potential states, one state at a time. Starting from Andhra Pradesh (later AP and Telangana) the brand gained immensely in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, becoming the top brand in South & West India by 2009. This strategy prioritised depth over breadth, concentrating investment and visibility. By 2018, Santoor crossed Rs 2,000 crore milestone, beating Lux to become India’s second-largest soap brand by value. Today with an annual revenue of approximately Rs 2,850 crore, the brand has surpassed Lifebuoy to become India’s largest soap brand.

This achievement reflects the enduring trust of millions of Indian households who have made Santoor a part of their daily lives. Built on relevance, accessibility, and consistency, the brand’s growth emphasizes the power of understanding consumers deeply and delivering value over time.