Story of Azah - Delhi based Startup that Makes Ecofriendly Menstrual Hygiene Products

Aqib Mohammad’s Azah – Feminine Hygiene Startup Valued over $2.5 Million

Azah is an Indian startup that produces feminine hygiene products. The company aims to solve menstrual-related problems for women by making high-quality and ultra-soft sanitary pads. The pads come in a box of 12, 15, and 30 that comes in disposable packs. Customers can buy their products from their website or other e-commerce websites. Let's get to know the success story of this eco-friendly and innovative brand.

Fun Fact: Azah Pads have become one of the most preferred eco-friendly sanitary pad brands in India.

Azah - Key Points

• Company Name - Azah
• Founding Year - 2018
• Headquarters - Gurgaon, Haryana, India
• Industry - Feminine Hygiene
• Founders - Aqib Mohammad and Shashwat Diesh
• URL – www.azah.in

Azah - Founding Members and Team

Azah got founded by Shashwat Diesh and Aqib Mohammad in 2018. Both of them are ex-employee of Snapdeal. They came up with the idea of starting their own company.

• Aqib Mohammad - He is the co-founder and CEO of Azah. He did engineer from IIT Roorkee and worked with Snapdeal for few years. He also co-founded Xolvr.com (Ed-tech startup). It got acquired in 2017.
• Shashwat Diesh - He is the co-founder of Azah. He completed his graduation from RV College in Engineering and worked for Snapdeal and Ola. He also co-founded Flossy (FMCG brand). Shashwat exited from that company in 2018 to focus on Azah.

Azah - Brand Name, Logo, and Tagline

• Brand Name - The brand name of Azah comes from the Hebrew language. It means something bright and strong.
• Logo - Their logo is simple and sophisticated, like the brand itself.
• Tagline - The brand focuses on making the best quality products for the female body. Their catchline is made safe. It is something that the brand truly believes and follows in every product.

Azah - Features

Azah is famous for its sanitary pads that are comfortable and rash-free. Some of the unique features of the brand are as follows:

• Easy-to-Use - The pads come in two sizes. Women can buy according to their comfort and, both of them can absorb heavy flows as well.
• Chemical-free - Azah's pads are 100% chemical-free. They do not use chemicals like dioxins, chlorines, artificial fragrances, etc., that are harmful to the body.
• Super absorbent - This is one of the most preferred features of the product. The pads are capable of absorbing 1000 times their weight and four times the ordinary sanitary pads.
• Ultra-soft - The pads got made of high-quality cotton fabric. It's smooth and soft on the skin and prevents any rash and irritation.
• Eco-friendly - The pads are built of biodegradable things such as cotton or paper, except for the lowermost part. Its boxes are also biodegradable and, every sanitary pad comes with a disposable bag too.
• FDA Approved - Azah is one of those few brands that got approved by the FDA. It is a certification body based in the USA that is one of the most reputed.
• Not harmful - Their products are free from any synthetic and plastics that cause damage to the human body.

Azah - Products

Azah sells a wide range of female hygiene products. Some of the products sold by Azah are as follows:

• Sanitary Pads
• Maternity Pads
• Menstrual Cups
• Panty Liners
• Multivitamin gummies

Azah - Funds and Investments

Azah rose funding of $2,00,000 to date.

$2,00,000 - Seed Stage, Angel Investors, 2019

Azah - Customer Attention

Azah got its first set of users from family and friends. It helped them in growing and, they had more than 6000 customers in just three months. The mouth publicity and positive words for the brand helped in gaining more customers. Azah also runs various social media programs to advertise its product. They have more than 30 thousand followers on Instagram. It helps them in reaching a larger group of people with the help of the platform.

Note: The company's retention rate of customers is above 90% and, their NPS (Net Promoter Score) is more than 7.

Azah – Growth

• Azah sold more than 6,00,000 pads in just six months of its launch.
• They have received positive reviews from almost all of their customers for their high-quality and comfortable products.
• Their average delivery time also got lowered from 5 days to 2 to 3 days.
• They deliver in more than 1900 codes in India.
• Their monthly revenue has grown by 50%.
• Azah's revenue for the financial year 2019-2020 was INR 12 lakhs.

Azah - Competitors

Azah has various competitors in the domestic and international markets. There are more than 50 brands that are competing in this industry. Some of the significant competitors of Azah are as follows:

• Johnson & Johnson
• P&G
• Nua
• Bharti Sales
• GoGirl
• Sofy
• Pee buddy
• Kotex
• Heyday Care
• My Urifiemme

Azah - Challenges

Some of the challenges faced by the company are as follows:

• Competitors - Azah has a lot of competitors in the market. Some of them have been in the industry for more than two decades and, it is hard to overshadow those brands. They have a good hold on the market and, their customer base is also in the millions.
• Brand Stickiness - This is a common thing in almost every sector. It is difficult for any new brand to make their customers believe in their product. Usually, people are not that comfortable in changing their brand they are comfortable. Especially when it is about feminine hygiene, it becomes hard to convince them.
• Less Awareness - Millions of women in India are not well aware of feminine hygiene and safety. They prefer going with the traditional way of using the products and do not want to switch. The brand needs to make its customers aware of its products and their benefits.

Azah - Upcoming Plans

Some of the upcoming plans of the company are as follows:

• They are planning to launch more feminine hygiene-related products shortly.
• The company is expecting good growth in the financial year 2021-2022.
• Their demand is increasing globally because of their positive user reviews. Azah is planning to expand in the international market as well.
• Azah plans to become a one-stop destination for female products.
• They are planning to double their revenue in the fiscal year 2021-22.

Azah – Ecofriendly Pads

Azah is doing a great job in this sector. Their products are one of the best that we have in the market. It is safe for the female body and, their products are biodegradable too. Billions of pads end up in garbage pits every year because they are no-biodegradable. Azah is helping the environment by producing eco-friendly pads.