Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting will acquire 60 per cent of the skincare brand, with the remaining stake to be acquired over the next three years
Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting has acquired a 60 per cent stake in skincare brand Dermatouch at an enterprise value of Rs 387.5 crore, as the company steps up its push into digital-first brands and India’s growing skincare market. The remaining 40 per cent will be acquired over the next three years, with the consideration linked to the brand’s performance.
The acquisition is Wipro Consumer’s latest move in a consumer-care strategy built around acquisitions, with the company saying it has invested more than USD 1.1 billion in acquisitions over the years. Dermatouch reported FY26 revenue of Rs 131 crore, up 114 per cent from the previous year, according to Wipro Consumer executives.
Dermatouch To Retain Founders
Wipro will retain Dermatouch’s existing management and brand identity, with founders Anish Nagpal and Amit Khuswani continuing to run the business. Kumar Chander, CEO at Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, said the decision to acquire 60 per cent was partly aimed at ensuring continuity of the current team, which has agreed to continue for at least three years.
The consideration for the remaining 40 per cent has not been disclosed. Chander said it could be linked to performance metrics, while the company expects the brand to continue delivering strong growth.
Ahmedabad-based Dermatouch is an over-the-counter skincare brand with products spanning face washes, sunscreens, serums, soaps, moisturisers, hair sprays and body cleansers. Nagpal said the company focuses on concerns such as pigmentation and acne and has built its proposition around clinically proven, science-backed ingredients.
Digital-First Expansion
For Wipro Consumer Care, the acquisition adds an Indian skincare brand to a portfolio that already has significant international skincare exposure. Chander said skincare accounts for about 7 per cent of Wipro’s revenues globally, while the acquisition also supports the company’s strategy of building a presence in digital brands.
“Today’s digital brand is looking very well. So, we need to have a presence there. This creates that presence,” Chander said while outlining the rationale for the deal. He added that Wipro could use Dermatouch’s capabilities to strengthen expertise across its broader portfolio.
The brand has already built a strong online presence, with Wipro executives saying about 85 to 88 per cent of its reviews come from online channels. Dermatouch also has an offline presence, which Wipro sees as an area that can be expanded over time.
Nagpal said the partnership would give Dermatouch access to Wipro’s research and development capabilities and experience in operating businesses at scale. “Wipro brings expertise in R&D scale, managing business at massive scale, which we are keen to learn from them,” he said.
Offline Distribution Remains Business-Led
Wipro does not have a fixed investment plan for expanding Dermatouch’s offline distribution yet. Chander said the founders would continue to determine the business priorities, with Wipro providing support where required.
The company could initially conduct experiments in selected geographies to assess the value it can bring to the brand. Chander said Dermatouch’s general-trade business is already growing faster than its overall business despite operating with a relatively small sales team.
Dermatouch is already available through quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms, while its offline presence remains relatively limited. Wipro said it would support additional distribution expansion if the management team decides it is required.
Skincare Market Opportunity
Wipro Consumer Care expects India’s skincare market to expand as consumer affordability rises. Chander said the company’s estimate puts current annual per-capita skincare spending in India at about USD 2, compared with around USD 20 in China.
He clarified that Wipro’s market estimate differs from some industry estimates because online and offline market calculations vary. Chander said India’s skincare category is currently growing at about 15-16 per cent annually. He said the gap in per-capita spending with China was meant to illustrate the market’s longer-term potential, with convergence potentially taking 10 to 20 years.
Nagpal said Dermatouch was built around increasing awareness among Indian consumers about skincare and daily personal-care needs. The brand’s lead categories include face cleansers and face washes, followed by sunscreens, serums and gels.
Acquisitions Remain A Growth Lever
The Dermatouch deal is part of Wipro Consumer Care’s broader acquisition-led expansion. Chander said the company has completed multiple acquisitions across personal care, food and other consumer categories and has invested more than USD 1.1 billion over the years.
He said Wipro remains open to further acquisitions and is not currently constrained by its ability to fund deals. “We are constrained only by our ambition and our ability to execute,” Chander said, adding that the company would assess future acquisitions based on their strategic fit and its ability to successfully integrate them.
Food remains a focused acquisition category, while Wipro is also evaluating opportunities across markets including India, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa. Executives said the company would continue to maintain discipline in capital allocation rather than pursue acquisitions solely to expand its portfolio.
R&D Synergies Immediate, Manufacturing Later
Wipro Consumer expects research and development and formulation capabilities to be among the immediate areas of collaboration. The company already operates dermal skincare brands in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but does not currently plan to introduce Dermatouch into those markets where it already has established brands.
Manufacturing in India could be considered if Dermatouch maintains its current growth trajectory. For now, Wipro Consumer Care plans to continue using contract manufacturers, saying it is satisfied with the existing arrangements and manufacturing standards.
Dermatouch’s founders said their near-term focus remains on building customer trust and addressing everyday skincare concerns. Nagpal said the brand’s ambitions are not limited to a particular revenue milestone, although he cited Rs 1,000 crore as an illustrative target. Chander said the founders’ plans were more aggressive than Wipro had initially anticipated.
