There’s nothing minimal about Minimalist – an amazing irony! 

Launched right in the thick of 2020, Minimalist skyrocketed to an INR 100 Cr valuation in just 8 months. And, mind you, this wasn’t just any period—it was during the peak of the pandemic when many startups were struggling to stay afloat.

How many D2C brands in the BPC segment, do you know, navigated the pandemic turning in a positive EBITDA? Minimalist did—hitting an impressive 20.05% EBITDA. That’s not just a win, it’s a statement!

This was just the beginning; cut to day, Minimalist has become a maximum D2C brand with:

• INR 189 Cr Revenue In FY23
• 50% Retention Rate
• INR 572 Cr Valuation
• INR 5.2 Cr Profit In FY23

Founders, and siblings, Mohit and Rahul Yadav built Minimalist on a simple yet powerful GTM strategy: no false claims and complete transparency about the ingredients in every product—Minimalist’s real trump card!

No fluff. No misleading marketing!

The USP: Minimalist Packaging – Maximalist Impact!

They say less is more, and Minimalist proves it every day!

With a clean, no-frills approach, their product labels feature just four things: the brand name, key ingredients, product type, and use case. That’s it! It’s all neatly displayed on a simple white label.

“If we’re being logical, even water is a chemical mix of hydrogen and oxygen,” Mohit said, debunking the myth of ‘chemical-free’ beauty. “No beauty products are truly free from chemicals—it’s impossible. So, why not be honest?” his brother Rahul chimed in.

Take Niacinamide, for instance. Whether you’re battling acne on oily or dry skin, Minimalist offers this potent ingredient in the right concentration for both skin types, cutting through skincare confusion with pure, unfiltered transparency. They’re selling what the competitors are, but with one key difference: boldness, honesty, and full transparency.

And, just like that, Minimalist claims a 20% market share in serums in India!

Minimalist’s Growth Driver: Amazon

This success isn’t an experiment that paid off; rather it’s a result of research. 

Here’s what they did 👇

Paid Attention To What Customers Are Searching For! 

Thanks to smartphone penetration, there’s a remarkable parity when it comes to education and awareness. Discoverability isn’t just about browsing aimlessly anymore. There are people who are actively searching for specific active ingredients like ‘Niacinamide Serum’ while others go for broader, more generic searches like ‘Acne Serums.’

Minimalist optimised their products for discoverability across all possible searches and the results are incredible – every minute, Minimalist sells about 7 products on Amazon!

Relentless Innovation Based On Customer Needs!  

Based on what customers are looking for, Minimalist identifies gaps in the market, and if there is a business potential, they go all guns blazing on the complete cycle of R&D, new product development, launch, and marketing!

Following this approach, Minimalist went from a few acne serums in 2020 to a suite of 42+ SKUs across skin, haircare, and bath categories!

Data-Backed Transparency In Packaging

Not to reiterate the section on USP, but transparency has been a real game-changer for Minimalist. 

They truly Hide Nothing – that’s Minimalist’s motto!

They are rated an impressive 4.6/5 on Amazon!

The Next Growth Pitstop – Website CX!

Yes, Minimalist uses chemical names in its packaging, and yes, not every user understands what they truly mean! 

So, how to decide which is the right product for my skin?

Well, we were scratching our heads thinking the same, until we came across cheat sheets like these:

For every category, Minimalist has a cheat sheet that highlights key use-cases, streamlining the buying process for customers. 

And, for customers who are not well-informed about what’s good for their skin, Minimalist has a Build Your Routine section. Take a 2 minute quiz, they’ll gauze your needs, and suggest products that are ideal for you. Seamless! 

No wonder, Minimalist boasts a retention rate of 50%

The Secret Weapon Of Minimalist: Marketing Frugality

There are brands that clock an ARR of INR 1000 Cr+ but are still not breaking even. So, how did Minimalist go green on PnL only after a year of launch? 

Minimalist isn’t just known for transparency in its products but also for being frugal with its marketing strategy.

“Most brands spend 40-50% on marketing, while we only spend around 25%. That’s where most ventures bleed. Founders need to figure out if they have product-market fit,” Mohit said in an interview with Inc42.

When they launched, Minimalist was allocating 30% of their budget to marketing. Over time, as they homed in on performance marketing, they reduced that figure to 20-22%. Now, they’ve shifted gears, focusing more on brand marketing while still maintaining a lean marketing spend. Their combined cost for branding and performance marketing sits comfortably at 28%, as Mohit proudly shared.

But here’s the kicker—they didn’t dive into marketing from day one. They first perfected their products, and then targeted the right audience. That’s the secret to their success—a reverse approach to what most brands follow!

A valuable lesson for all D2C founders!