Intellectual Capital

In every stage of our 139-year-long journey, we have been embracing technological developments to drive innovation. We encourage our people to nurture andimplement innovative ideas, which will lead to operational improvements acrossour operations. We believe in accumulating and leveraging our 139-year-longexperience and heritage, our wealth of knowledge, strong brand recall, focus onquality and distribution might to enhance our Corporate Value.

Key Highlights of FY 2022-23

40 crore
spent on R&D
25
New Products
launched in 2022-23
4
Patents granted in 2022-23
18
Total Patents granted till date

SDGs Impacted

We draw on our immense talent pool to constantly innovate and develop products that meet the everchanging and evolving needs of our consumers.We also are actively bringing on specialized talent to effectively develop our existing businesses and expend the new digital businesses. We encourage path-breaking thought leadership and innovation beyond our R&D teams to support our commitment to deliver health & well-being to every household. Through our intellectual capital, we not only focus on business growth but also contribute to UN SDGs.

We closely monitor and analyse evolving trends to explore opportunities and move swiftly to make the most of them. Every Dabur product is based on an innovation crafted by our experts in collaboration with our network of partners. We translate our scientific discoveries into everyday products that care for the planet and improve people's health and well-being.

In FY 2022-23, Dabur entered into 6 new food product categories like Multisource Edible vegetable oil (With infusion of Arjuna), Peanut butter, Plant-based drinks, Carbonated water, Imitation Chocolate (with Centrefilled Ratnaprash) & Powdered premixes (Gulab jamun Premixes), besides launching new products under various categories.

Category Number of Products & Variants Launched
Healthcare 13
Home & Personal Care 9
Food & Beverages 3
Total 25

Real Soya Drink range, Almond Milk

The year saw Dabur develop plant-based drinks like a range of Soya drinks and Almond milk for consumers with Lactose intolerance. Launched under the Real Health brand, this range is an alternate source of Calcium and helps improve bones and immunity. Both Real Health Soya Drink range and Real Health Almond Drink are unsweetened plant-based beverages and a rich source of calcium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, Vitamin D. The range is free of lactose, Gluten and Cholesterol, and has 30% more protein content than other leading brands.

Dabur Heart Care Oil

A unique multi-source edible vegetable oil was developed and launched during the year. Healthier than single seed oil, Dabur Heart Care Oil is packed with benefits of three heart healthy oils in one. It is a combination of Rice Bran oil, Flex Seed oil & Sesame oil with the goodness of Arjuna herb, which is infused in the product through Tail Pak Vidhi (as mentioned in Aayurvedic scriptures). Arjuna has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine as a heart tonic. It provides cardioprotective properties and supports healthy functioning of heart muscles. It also helps manage cholesterol levels. Dabur Heart Care Oil is rich in Vitamin E and Gamma Oryzanol that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides levels. Consumers are today becoming more conscious of what they eat and are increasingly focusing on healthier diets and consumption of healthier cooking oils. Our indigenous Dabur Heart Care Blended Cooking Oil has been specially created to meet this growing consumer need.

Dabur Vedic Tea

Marking our entry into the premium packaged black tea market, Dabur launched the Dabur Vedic tea this year. Packed with 30+ ayurvedic herbs that have proven health benefits, it is a special blend of premium tea leaves from Assam, Nilgiri and Darjeeling. Dabur Vedic Tea contains Ayurvedic herbs like tulsi, ginger, cardamom etc. These real herbs are distinctly visible with the tea leaves and it does not contain any flavors. This perfect blend re-energizes the body, relieves stress and boosts immunity.

Dabur Chyawanprash Gur

Made with the goodness of Gur and with no added sugar, Dabur Chyawanprash (Gur) Awaleha is specially formulated to give you the best ayurvedic benefits. It is a strict herbal composition giving your immunity a boost. Completely chemical-free, safe and natural, it has the properties of Gur, which makes it an ideal choice for every age group.

A recipe used in Ayurveda since ancient times, this contains the goodness of Amla, Giloy, Shatavari and 40 other herbs, and keeps you in fine health and builds your immunity.

Dabur Amla Candy

Dabur developed and launched the fruit-based Dabur Amla Candy, which is rich source of Vitamin C and provides fibres. This is a healthier alternative of Sugarbased hard boiled candies and also goes a long way in supporting farmers by increasing the demand for Amla Fruit. The candy has a unique combination of sweet and tangy flavours of mango and tamarind, making it a tasty treat for people of all ages. It contains natural digestive ingredients such as black salt, cumin and ginger that help in promoting digestion and reducing stomach discomfort. Made using traditional Ayurvedic techniques and ingredients, it is available in small, individually wrapped packets, making it easy to carry in a pocket or purse for on-the-go digestion support.

Cleaning-in-Place Extension Time

Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) is a critical process in the food and beverage industry to ensure that equipment and pipelines are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination. Traditionally, CIP cycles have been limited to 24 hours, which can limit plant productivity due to downtime required for cleaning. However, recent advances in technologies and improved processes have made it possible to extend the CIP cycle up to 36 hours without compromising the quality of the cleaning process.

CIP time cycle improved from 24 hrs to 36 hours after thorough validation in all Dabur Beverage manufacturing locations after improvement in infrastructure. This extension of CIP time significantly increases plant productivity and contributes to the environment by reducing carbon emissions, water usage and chemical usage.

By extending the CIP cycle, juice plants can now reduce the frequency of CIP cycles, which leads to a reduction in water and chemical usage. This reduction in usage not only helps to conserve natural resources but also helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the plant by minimizing the energy required to heat and cool the water used in the cleaning process.

Further, extending the CIP cycle will also increase plant productivity by reducing the downtime required for cleaning. This increased productivity will translate to cost savings and increased revenue for the plant.

In conclusion, extending the CIP cycle from 24 hours to 36 hours in juice plants is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to increase plant productivity while reducing the plant’s carbon footprint and conserving natural resources.

Stop Use of Chemicals under REACH Guidelines

We have undertaken proactive studies and innovated to stop the use of chemicals suggested under REACH guidelines (REACH is a European Regulation and is an acronym for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) in the coating process. This ensured that we have developed a safer formulation, which has since been commercialized, considering health benefits of the society.

We depend on a combination of trademark, fair trade practice, copyright and trade secret protection laws and patent protection in India and other geographies to protect our intellectual property. Our R&D investments have resulted in several breakthrough products and a diverse patent portfolio. Our robust Intellectual Property management ensures that these patents are aligned with our business goals. Till date, we have been granted 18 patents, of which 4 patents were granted in 2022-23. Moreover, 23 scientific publications of our company have been published in National and International Journals till date.

At Dabur, we are committed to providing healthier options for our customers while promoting social wellbeing and reducing environmental impacts. Our focus on developing traditional products like Chyawanprash and Ratnaprash using natural ingredients such as jaggery and herbs is aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle among our customers.

In addition to these traditional products, we also offer a range of natural alternatives to chemical lbased medications, including products that enhance immunity, lactation support, and heart health. By promoting a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to healthcare, we strive to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

We are also committed to reducing the negative impact of excessive sugar consumption on public health. Our efforts to reduce sugar content in our products without compromising on taste or quality demonstrate our commitment to promoting healthier options for our customers. Innovation such as Tail Pak vidhi and our patented technology for Odonil Gel Pocket enable us to reduce our environmental impacts while improving the quality of our products.

Our collaborations with local farmers in Uttarakhand to develop Litchi pulp provide a sustainable source of income for the farmers while reducing carbon footprint by minimizing transportation requirements. Similarly, our development of plant-based drinks and Amla candy promotes sustainable farming practices while offering healthier alternatives to conventional dairybased products and sugary snacks.

Overall, we believe that our focus on promoting social wellbeing and reducing environmental impacts through our product innovations and collaborations is a positive step towards a more sustainable and healthier future for individuals and communities. We remain committed to this vision as we continue to explore new ways to enhance the health and wellbeing of our customers while minimizing our environmental impact.

Reducing Added Sugar Content in Products

Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) Eat Right India movement, we had pledged to reduce added sugar by 10% in more than 50% of our portfolio. As on 31st March 2022, we had voluntarily achieved a total of 14.43% added sugar reduction from the 2018 baseline. In fact, we fulfilled this pledge 3 years ahead of the committed timeline.

Dabur India Limited embarked on its reformulation journey in 2019, by focusing on reducing sugar levels in its Real range of fruit juices and beverages. For this journey, Dabur focused on a phased approach with gradual reduction in added sugar content. The first phase was between 2019 and 2020, in which the Top 5 highest selling variants were selected. These shortlisted variants accounted for approximately 80% of the portfolio. As part of this exercise, Dabur managed to reduce sugar by an average of 5.4% in two-thirds of the beverage portfolio by 2020.

The second phase ran between 2020 and 2021. In this phase, the company widened the selection to its Top 7 highest selling beverage variants that covered approximately 90% of the portfolio. This time round, Dabur reduced sugar by a further 7.47% on an average across 50% of their beverage portfolio by 2021, over 2018 levels.

The third phase was between 2021 and 2022. In this phase, the company selected a few of Top 8 highest selling variants that made up for approximately 90% of the portfolio. In this phase, Dabur reduced sugar by a further 6.77% on an average across 50% of the portfolio by 2022 over 2018 levels.

As a result, Dabur has achieved a total 20.95% added sugar reduction from the 2018 baseline and reduced approx. 1,300 MT sugar consumption on an annualised basis. As an additional effort, the company focused on offering healthier choices to consumers and therefore reduced serve sizes from 200ml to 180ml and from 160ml to 150ml to ensure appropriate consumption.

Dabur is now working on Phase 4 of its sugar reduction exercise and aims to cut added sugar by an average 3% across two-thirds of the beverage portfolio.

In addition, we have reduced 10% sugar in two Ayurvedic products.

At Dabur, we are committed to embracing sustainable packaging across our product lines. Not only have we put in place initiatives to ensure collection, recycling and processing of post-consumer waste generated by our product packaging to emerge as the first Indian Plastic Waste Positive FMCG company but have also taken a strategic approach towards continuously improving our packaging with a focus on making it light and right.

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our drive to make our product packaging not just more attractive and user-friendly, but also greener, while protecting the products our consumers love. The previous years have seen Dabur introduce outer carton-free Dabur Red Paste pack and a new format of flexible spouted sachet packaging for its 1-litre refill Vatika Health Shampoo pack. During the year 2022-23, Dabur took rapid strides forward in this journey.

The year saw the government of India banning use of plastic straws as part of integrated packaging for beverage cartons. Even before the regulation was enforced, Dabur commenced production of its Real juice packs with integrated paper straws. As the year progressed, we completely indigenised this initiative, sourcing our entire requirement of integrated paper straws from within the country, streamlining the paper straw manufacturing process with indigenous paper supplied by Indian Paper Mills.

These 180° bendable paper straws for drink packaging are strong, long-lasting, and bendable without breaking. This is both a user-friendly and environment-friendly alternative for everyday drinks.

We continue to invest in the continuous development of our people, attracting the right talent and growing our strategic capabilities. Development of sustainable packaging solutions is, in fact, now built into the Key Responsibility Areas of the packaging development team with a focus on R&D efforts to build sustainable packaging solutions, be it with rigid and flexible packaging platforms having post-consumer recycled- PCR resin content or use of compostable PLA based. Thereby, building circular economy basis recycled materials and bio-compostable packaging material solutions. We continue to innovate responsibly, while marching toward our ambitions of sustainable growth.

Some of the key initiatives undertaken during the year are:

    Business Impact of Ideas/Development efforts
S.No. Ideas & Development For Environment For Organisation For Aesthetics
1. Optimisation in Vatika Sachet wholesale Pack 5.85 tonnes of virgin plastic reduction annually through structure optimsation 80% reduction in ink usage through artwork redesign, making recyclability easier. Annual savings of 5 Million  
2. Innovative Foldable Spoon for FEM & Oxylife Bleaches 1 tonne plastic reduction annually through Spoon Weight optimisation Improvement in packing line process, resulting in annual monetary gains of 1.2 Million  
3. Value engineering in Shrink Film manufacturing   Annualised Savings of 20 Million through value engineering of LDPE shrink film used in wholesale packages  
4. Consumer convenient comb applicator for Dabur Vatika Neelibhringa 21     New innovative comb shape applicator to dispense oil directly on scalp. Achieved consumer convenience through easy dispensing
5. Himalayan Shilajit in Paper composite Can

Green Packaging introduced with secondary packaging made of composite paper and primary packaging made of glass & metal cap

  Premium pack format to enhance appeal and target generate sales
6. New Sanifresh cap design innovation with 25% weight reduction Reduced usage of Virgin Plastic by 6.9 tonnes 1 Million saved through plastic weight reduction Improved appearance of packaging.
7. Introduced new substrate for Vatika shampoo labels Reduction of 0.7 tonnes of virgin plastic annually Annual savings of 0.5 Million by way of plastic usage reduction  
8. Introduced a paper and non-woven combination alternate for Tyvek pouch for Odonil Zipper Tyvek grade is spun bound polymer. Compared to it, we have developed a more sustainable paper + nonwoven pouch Import substitution of existing packaging raw material  
9. Design innovation to introduce ASTER cap for Amla flankers affordable LUPs 120 tonnes of Virgin Plastic usage reduced annually cost saving of 30 Million annually Flip part of the cap is redesigned to give it better shelf aesthetics.
10. Shift from Paper straw to PLA Straw Use of bioplastics, which is a better alternative to plastics and are compostable, as per Govt. standards Cheaper alternative to paper straws  
11. Gulab Jamun Pouch printed by flexo print Reduced CO2 emissions due to reduced truck load. Reduced CO2 emissions due to less energy consumption in production of PET bottles. Cheaper alternative with lower minimum order quantities. Now, we can get even low volumes of supply at effective prices enabling us to launch a new product with minimum quantity and ensure no wastages.  
12. Packaging Revamp of Asav from Glass to PET bottle Reduced CO2 emissions due to reduced truck load. Reduced CO2 emissions due to less energy consumption in production of PET bottles. Annualized Savings of 5 Million Dependency eliminated for single-source glass bottle  
download-pdfAnnual Report 2022-23