From advising businesses at KPMG to building a consumer fragrance brand, Kanishka Jain’s entrepreneurial journey began with a personal passion and a family legacy. As the founder of Eze Perfumes, Jain is working to position Indian-made fragrances as high-quality, contemporary and globally relevant products. Backed by the decades of expertise of Sawai Fragrances, Eze Perfumes combines traditional knowledge of perfumery with modern branding, affordable luxury and an omnichannel retail strategy. The brand currently offers 11 variants in its original collection and five city-inspired fragrances, with a presence across 1,200–1,300 stores in India and seven countries globally.

From KPMG to perfumes

Jain’s transition into entrepreneurship was influenced by two factors: her long-standing interest in perfumes and her connection to the family’s fragrance manufacturing business. Her experience at KPMG gave her exposure to structured corporate processes, strategic thinking and professional management practices. However, Jain identified a gap in the Indian market. While luxury fragrances were available, there was an opportunity to create products that offered a premium experience at a more accessible price point. She also saw potential in building a distinctly Indian fragrance brand rather than remaining only a manufacturing business. “India has a rich perfumery heritage, but there has often been a perception that Indian perfumes are not at par with international products,” Jain explains. Eze Perfumes was created to challenge that perception through product quality, thoughtful packaging and consistent customer experiences.

Turning legacy into a modern brand

The family’s experience in perfume manufacturing provided Eze Perfumes with a strong foundation. But Jain wanted to build a brand that could connect with a new generation of consumers in India and international markets. The COVID-19 pandemic became an important turning point. As consumer behaviour changed and digital commerce gained momentum, the family began considering the possibility of launching its own consumer-facing brand. This allowed the business to move beyond manufacturing and take greater control over product development, branding, marketing and customer relationships. The approach involved both backward and forward integration. While the company continued to benefit from its manufacturing expertise, Kanishka also invested in product profiles, packaging, distribution and consumer engagement.

The idea behind the name

The brand name “Eze” reflects the company’s focus on creating a memorable identity through fragrance and design. Jain also highlights the influence of the word “Eze,” associated with the meaning “king” in a South African language. The packaging was developed to make the products instantly recognisable. The round bottle, in particular, represents inclusivity and is intended to create a distinctive visual identity across the collection. For Jain, packaging is not merely an outer layer. It is an important part of how consumers discover, remember and emotionally connect with a fragrance. The company has therefore invested in the details of the bottle, design language and overall unboxing experience.

Affordable luxury with Indian roots

Eze Perfumes aims to bridge the gap between mass-market fragrances and expensive luxury products. Its focus is on offering carefully curated scents at accessible prices without compromising on quality. The brand’s collections include an original range of 11 variants and a city collection featuring five fragrances inspired by different urban identities. These products are available through multiple channels, including retail stores, digital platforms and international distribution. Eze is currently present in 1,200–1,300 stores across India and has expanded to seven countries. The brand has also received positive feedback in the United States, where its “Made in India” positioning has helped it stand out. Jain says the company’s goal is not simply to sell perfumes but to change how consumers perceive Indian fragrance products. By meeting international quality expectations, Kanishka wants to demonstrate that Indian brands can compete successfully in the global affordable-luxury segment.

Quality as the primary differentiator

The fragrance market is crowded, with brands competing across price, celebrity associations, influencer marketing, packaging and product variety. Eze’s differentiation strategy centres on quality and customer satisfaction. Jain points to the brand’s repeat purchase rate as an important indicator of consumer acceptance. Instead of continuously adding products, the company focuses on developing curated fragrance profiles that customers are likely to use and repurchase. “Growth should be consistent and sustainable,” Jain says. For the company, long-term brand building is as important as short-term sales targets. This means investing in product performance, customer feedback and reliable operations rather than relying only on promotional activity.

Building the business through bootstrapping

Eze Perfumes has been bootstrapped and supported by the family business. This approach has allowed the company to make decisions with a long-term perspective, without being pressured to prioritise short-term growth at the cost of product quality. In the early stages, the company focused on product development, packaging, manufacturing quality and team building. Jain says the company worked with several external agencies initially but gradually learned the importance of building a dependable internal team and maintaining long-term relationships with capable partners. The experience also reinforced the value of learning from failures. Building a consumer brand requires constant experimentation, and not every campaign, product decision or partnership produces the expected result. Jain believes that consistency and the willingness to adapt are essential for sustainable growth.

Digital and experiential retail

Eze Perfumes uses a combination of digital marketing and physical customer experiences to build awareness. While social media and online platforms help the brand reach new consumers, Jain believes fragrance cannot be fully understood through digital content alone. In-person discovery remains important because consumers often want to smell a product before purchasing it. To address this, the brand is exploring experiential retail initiatives, including home experiences and discovery boxes that allow consumers to sample different fragrances. This omnichannel strategy helps Eze combine the reach of digital commerce with the trust and sensory engagement of physical retail.

Managing growth with a long-term view

Jain’s corporate background continues to influence how she makes business decisions. She focuses on balancing immediate business goals with the larger objective of building a brand that remains relevant over time. This includes deciding when to invest in marketing, when to expand the product range and when to prioritise operational improvements. Instead of chasing visibility alone, Kanishka aims to create a brand that consumers remember for its quality, design and reliability. The company’s presence across retail stores and international markets reflects this gradual expansion strategy. Jain emphasises that growth should be supported by strong processes, a dedicated team and consistent product performance.

The future of Eze Perfumes

Looking ahead, Eze Perfumes plans to strengthen its position in India while continuing to expand globally. The company wants to build on India’s long history of perfumery and create products that meet international standards. Its larger ambition is to help change the global perception of Indian fragrance brands. By combining manufacturing expertise, modern design, affordable luxury and experiential marketing, Kanishka aims to make Indian perfumery more visible and respected internationally. For Jain, the legacy she wants to create goes beyond building a successful consumer brand. It is about showing that India’s fragrance industry can produce high-quality, thoughtfully designed and globally competitive products.

Why Eze Perfumes matters?

Eze Perfumes represents a broader shift in India’s consumer industry: legacy manufacturing businesses are increasingly moving toward branded, direct-to-consumer and experience-led models. Jain’s journey demonstrates how family expertise can be combined with modern management, design and digital marketing to build a contemporary consumer brand. With quality, consistency and Indian perfumery at the center of its strategy, Eze is attempting to turn the country’s fragrance heritage into a modern global opportunity.

Interview By : Sejal Thakur