Mumbai, July 13: Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has forayed into Afghanistan with hair colour and fairness cream range, as part of its effort to scout new markets worldwide for its soap and personal care portfolio. "The company has launched its hair colour and fairness cream range in the virgin markets of Afghanistan, Somalialand and South Africa," GCPL said in its annual report for 2002-03.
It has also identified Latin America and African region as key growth markets for its products.
In order to bring down costs, GCPL has tied-up on third party manufacturing in Bangladesh which would offer significant cost efficiencies and logistical benefits, it said.

Exports of the company in fiscal 2002-03 amounted to Rs 8.3 crore of which about 37 per cent was from the soap segment and 63 per cent from the personal care segment.
GCPL, which claims 44 per cent market share in the hair colour segment, said the category accounted for 25 per cent of its total sales and 27 per cent of branded sales during 2002-03.
The company's offerings in the talcum powder and deodorant categories showed declining growth rates while the fairness cream Godrej Fairglow's sales were witnessing a longer gestation period, the report added. Bureau Report