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D2C brand Minimalist posts Rs 350 Cr revenue in FY24, profits double

Entrackr · 2m

Minimalist continues to be one of the strongest stories, and the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands in India, with the Jaipur-based startup touching the Rs 350 crore revenue mark. This is a notable 89% year-on-year growth in FY24. Additionally, the four-year-old firm doubled its profit in the last fiscal year. Minimalist’s revenue from operations surged to Rs 347 crore in FY24, up from Rs 184 crore in FY23, according to its consolidated financial statements sourced from the Registrar of Companies. The company also earned Rs 2.16 crore from non-operating activities, bringing its total revenue to Rs 349.56 crore in FY24. Founded by serial entrepreneurs Mohit and Rahul Yadav, Minimalist is a skin and hair care brand offering products such as serums, toners, and moisturizers. The sale of these products was the sole source of revenue for the brand in the last fiscal year. Minimalist retails through its own website, as well as third-party e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Nykaa, and Flipkart, among others. Like many other D2C skincare and beauty brands, Minimalist allocated a significant portion of its expenditures—35%—to advertising and promotion. These costs nearly doubled, rising to Rs 117 crore in FY24 from Rs 65 crore in FY23. In line with its revenue growth, the cost of materials consumed spiked by 88.1%, reaching Rs 94 crore in FY24 compared to Rs 50 crore in FY23. Additionally, expenses related to employee benefits, distribution (commissions to marketplaces), and transportation surged, contributing to an 84.1% increase in the company’s total costs, which rose to Rs 331 crore in the fiscal year ending March 2024 from Rs 180 crore in FY23. Despite increasing marketing costs, Minimalist achieved over two-fold growth in profits, reaching Rs 10.83 crore in FY24, up from Rs 5 crore in FY23. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, its EBITDA margin and return on capital employed (ROCE) stood at 4% and 9%, respectively. On a per-unit basis, the startup spent Re 0.95 to earn a rupee of operating revenue in the last fiscal year (FY24). Minimalist has raised around $17 million to date, including its Series A round led by Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital), which holds a 27.9% stake as the largest external shareholder. Its co-founders, Mohit and Rahul Yadav, together control 62% of the company, as per TheKredible. The startup was last valued at a relatively conservative Rs 565 crore ($75 million), which is approximately 1.6 times its revenue of Rs 347 crore in FY24. As of March 2024, Minimalist had a cash and bank balance of Rs 30.27 crore. While having a focused portfolio we see that in FY24, the firm’s focus has shifted to skincare, from haircare earlier. It’s also time for a fresh fund raise or cost control, which might impact growth going forward. Will a fund raise lead to margin erosion as we have invariably observed? It remains to be seen, although going by Minimalist’s past record it does seem likely that the firm will surprise yet.