Happily Unmarried

Happily Unmarried Marketing Pvt. Ltd. was established in 2003 by Rahul Anand and Rajat Tuli, alumni of the Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad. The venture originated from their personal frustrations with finding accommodation in Hyderabad as unmarried men, which sparked the idea to serve the unmet needs of young, single individuals. Initially, the company aimed to be a comprehensive service provider for singles, offering everything from finding housing to furniture. However, this model proved challenging, leading to a pivot towards designing and selling quirky, fun lifestyle products. The initial seed money of INR 50,000 was famously raised by pawning a company laptop after the dot-com bust left them jobless and without pay for months.

The business began by creating offbeat merchandise with a distinct Indian connection, such as funky mugs, T-shirts, and home accessories, which resonated well with a younger demographic in metropolitan areas. The brand built a loyal following through word-of-mouth marketing and its irreverent and humorous brand voice. A significant turning point came when the company secured a corporate gifting order from National Geographic, which provided the capital to expand its product range. Recognizing the limitations of a niche gifting business for large-scale growth, the founders identified a larger opportunity in the men's grooming market. In 2015, they launched 'Ustraa' (Hindi for a straight razor), a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand focused on men's grooming products. This strategic pivot proved successful, with Ustraa quickly becoming the primary revenue driver for the parent company.

The Ustraa brand offers a wide array of products, including beard oils, face washes, hair growth vitalizers, and fragrances, all formulated to be free of parabens and sulfates. The business operates on a D2C model, with a significant portion of its sales generated through its own app and website, alongside a presence on major e-commerce platforms and a growing offline retail footprint. In June 2023, VLCC Health Care acquired Happily Unmarried, marking its entry into the men's grooming segment. This acquisition aims to leverage VLCC's extensive offline distribution network to accelerate Ustraa's growth, while Ustraa's digital expertise will bolster VLCC's online presence. Following the acquisition, founders Rahul Anand and Rajat Tuli continue to lead the Ustraa brand.

Keywords: men's grooming, D2C, personal care, lifestyle products, e-commerce, Ustraa, beard care, skincare, fragrances, VLCC