Viren Khuller, Director, STIM, on the brand’s evolution from a family-run manufacturing business to a specialised oral care player, the rise of preventive dentistry and oral beauty, and its plans to expand distribution and international markets
India’s oral care market is moving beyond routine brushing towards specialised, preventive and beauty-led products, creating new opportunities for brands that can address evolving consumer needs. STIM, which operates across professional oral care, children’s oral hygiene and oral beauty, is looking to capitalise on this shift through product innovation, wider distribution and expansion into new markets.
In conversation with BW Retail World, Viren Khuller, Director, STIM, discusses the brand’s journey, changing consumer behaviour, category growth drivers and its next phase of expansion.
STIM has evolved from a family-run business with a manufacturing legacy into a specialised oral care brand. What have been the biggest milestones in this journey over the past decade?
STIM operates across three verticals. Our professional range caters to approximately 25,000 dentists across India. The second is STIM Junior, which offers oral care products for children from infancy to 15 years of age. The third is STIM Spark, our oral beauty range.
Over the past decade, our key milestones have included entering new territories, establishing new headquarters, expanding our reach among dentists and strengthening our pharmacy presence. We have also expanded our product portfolio across key markets in North and South India.
The introduction of STIM Junior was another significant milestone, as it allowed us to address oral care needs across different stages of childhood. Our focus has been on building specialised categories and broadening our reach rather than limiting ourselves to conventional oral care products.
Which product categories have been particularly important in establishing STIM’s position in the market?
One of our significant achievements has been establishing ourselves as a major manufacturer of interdental brushes, which we sell in India and international markets.
Our STIM Ortho MB orthodontic toothbrush is another important product and is widely recommended by dentists across India. We have also developed expertise in interdental brushes, including products in different sizes to address specific cleaning requirements.
Our orthodontic range remains a key category for the business. Plaque control is another important segment, covering interdental brushes, super-soft toothbrushes and different variants of dental floss. STIM Junior is also an important growth category, and we continue to see momentum in specialised oral care for children.
India’s oral care market has traditionally been dominated by mass-market products. What changes are you seeing in consumer behaviour, and where do you see the biggest opportunities?
Consumers have become more aware of oral hygiene and the importance of maintaining good oral health. Dentists have played a major role in improving awareness about preventive dentistry.
Our products are designed around this preventive approach. Whether it is our plaque control range, orthodontic products or other specialised offerings, the objective is to help consumers maintain better oral hygiene and reduce the risk of future dental problems.
There is also an opportunity to move consumers beyond a basic, functional approach to brushing. As awareness improves, people are becoming more receptive to products designed for specific needs rather than relying on a single toothpaste and toothbrush for every requirement.
This creates opportunities for specialised oral care brands to educate consumers, work closely with dental professionals and offer products that address different stages and aspects of oral health.
Oral beauty is emerging as a new proposition within personal care. How does STIM Spark fit into this shift?
STIM Spark represents our entry into oral beauty, a segment that we believe has considerable potential.
Consumer behaviour is evolving, particularly among younger consumers in metropolitan markets. Oral care is increasingly being viewed alongside skincare and haircare as part of personal grooming and self-presentation.
This does not replace the importance of oral hygiene or preventive care. Instead, it adds another dimension to the category. Consumers are beginning to look at their smiles as part of their overall appearance, creating opportunities for products that combine oral care with confidence and personal presentation.
STIM Spark has been developed to address this emerging need. We see oral beauty as an additional opportunity for the category to evolve beyond its traditional functional positioning.
Is rising awareness also translating into opportunities beyond metropolitan markets, particularly in Tier-II cities?
Yes. Greater awareness of oral care is beneficial for the entire industry. The efforts of established brands, emerging companies and dental professionals have helped bring oral hygiene into wider consumer conversations.
Digital platforms have also made specialised products more accessible. Consumers can discover and purchase products online that may not always be readily available through conventional retail outlets.
This growing awareness creates opportunities for brands across the market. As consumers become more informed about their oral care needs, there is greater scope for products that address specific requirements, including orthodontic care, plaque control and children’s oral hygiene.
The broader challenge is to ensure that awareness translates into consistent oral care habits and access to appropriate products.
What are STIM’s priorities for the next phase of growth across domestic and international markets?
Within India, expanding our presence in the western region is a priority, as our reach there is currently relatively limited. We want to strengthen our presence in new territories while continuing to build our existing markets.
Internationally, we are looking at opportunities in markets such as Sri Lanka and the UAE. Our objective is to build on our existing manufacturing and export capabilities while identifying markets where our specialised product portfolio can find a stronger presence.
We are also exploring potential joint ventures with companies in Europe and Japan in the medical devices and medical equipment space. These discussions are part of our broader effort to identify opportunities beyond our current business.
How important are ecommerce and quick commerce to STIM’s distribution strategy?
Ecommerce is performing well for us, with Amazon being an important platform. We have also started working with quick-commerce platforms and are looking to build our presence across major online channels.
These platforms provide consumers with easier access to specialised oral care products and help brands reach customers beyond their immediate geographical markets. Over the coming years, we expect online channels to offer significant opportunities to expand our sales.
Our approach is to become more aggressive across leading e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms while continuing to strengthen our presence through traditional channels, pharmacies and the professional dental network.
What role will product innovation play as STIM expands its portfolio?
Product development remains important to our strategy because oral care requirements differ across consumer groups. Our professional range addresses specialised needs, STIM Junior focuses on children, and STIM Spark allows us to explore the emerging oral beauty segment.
We will continue to look at opportunities where we can develop relevant products and strengthen our presence in existing and new categories. At the same time, our expansion into new territories and potential partnerships will help us explore additional avenues for the business.
Our focus is on building a broader oral care portfolio that responds to changing consumer needs while remaining rooted in specialised products and preventive oral health.
