Partnership · Commerce & Consumer Brands

Colgate-Palmolive partners Bombay Shaving for Palmolive D2C

By Startup Enthusiast · 18 August 2026

What they do

Bombay Shaving Company makes men's grooming products like razors and shaving creams

Colgate-Palmolive India hired it to manage Palmolive's direct-to-consumer ads and customer relations

Colgate-Palmolive CEO called Palmolive an 'area of disappointment' and seeks D2C expertise

Colgate-Palmolive India partnered with Bombay Shaving Company to manage Palmolive's D2C (direct-to-consumer) and ecommerce advertising and customer relationships.
Colgate-Palmolive retained control of Palmolive's modern trade, general trade, traditional advertising, product innovation, quality, and supply chain.
The partnership is at a nascent stage and shows 'early green shoots'.
Colgate-Palmolive India CEO Prabha Narasimhan said the D2C flywheel differs from the traditional brand flywheel.
She added that Colgate-Palmolive tried D2C on its own but was 'not best in class'.
Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific acquired a 14% stake in Bombay Shaving Company for ₹18 Cr in 2018.

Palmolive is a weak spot in Colgate-Palmolive India's portfolio; the CEO called personal care an 'area of disappointment'.
Palmolive leads the premium handwash segment, but the category is small with growth headroom.
Colgate-Palmolive India spends 50%-60% of its advertising and promotional budget on digital.
India's D2C GMV (gross merchandise value) is expected to grow from $65 Bn in 2026 to $310 Bn by 2031, per an Inc42 report.

Bombay Shaving Company makes men's grooming products including razors, shaving creams, and beard oils.
Its parent company is Visage Lines Personal Care.
Visage Lines claimed adjusted EBITDA profitability in FY26.
Operating revenue jumped 139% to ₹634.7 Cr in FY26.
Net loss narrowed 97.4% to ₹9 Cr in FY26.

Colgate-Palmolive India is prepared to absorb near-term margin pressure to increase ad spend and prioritize expansion.
It intends to drive growth ahead of profitability going forward.