Sexual wellness market sizzles as India sheds taboo

With products ranging from body massagers to performance supplements, sexual wellness startups such as Bold Care and MyMuse are attracting rising interest from carefree young consumers as the topic of sexual wellness has come a long way from being a taboo subject in India.

- Sowmya Ramasubramanian

Startups in the space now report repeat-purchase patterns like never before. At Bold Care, a Mumbai-based startup co-owned by actor Ranveer Singh, a majority of customers are making frequent repurchases, a first for the company since its inception in 2020, co-founder Rajat Jadhav told Mint.

"Our market share has gone up to 20% from just about 3-4% nearly 18 months ago. This can't happen from just new customers but is an indication that our retention rate is very strong," Jadhav said. Bold Care has grown 250% in the past 12 months from the previous year.

MyMuse, another Mumbai-based company selling massagers, supplements, and bedroom accessories for men and women, noted that half of its customers are loyal and come back to make another purchase, thanks to its brand positioning around approachability and trust, according to co-founder Anushka Gupta.

Once touted as private and hush-hush, topics like pleasurable experiences for consenting adults and common bedroom problems like erectile dysfunction are now openly discussed on social media, resulting in a major shift in cultural norms and encouraging more people to seek help.