How a Family Built a Rs 250 Crore Turnover Dental Care Brand Starting with Rs 10,000

When Viren Khuller, a third-generation entrepreneur, joined the family business in 2015, he brought fresh energy and innovation. The family’s dental care brand, STIM, offers a wide range of products, including toothbrushes, interdental brushes, floss, mouthwash, oral care kits, dental guards, snore guards, and devices to slow down teeth grinding.

The company, currently registered under the name Global Dent Aids Pvt. Ltd., was founded in the 1970s by Viren’s grandfather, the visionary late V.D. Khuller, with an investment of Rs. 10,000. In 2015, when Viren joined the company, the turnover was Rs. 80 crore, and they had 800 employees.

Under Viren Khuller's leadership STIM has grown significantly touching a turnover of Rs 250 crore (Photos: Special Arrangement)

By 2024, under Viren’s leadership, the turnover has reached Rs. 250 crore, with a workforce of more than 2000 employees.

Born and raised in Delhi, Viren completed Class 12 from Delhi Public School, Mathura Road. He joined the family business right after graduating from Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York, with a BBA specialising in management and marketing.


“After my first two years in the business, I started making lots of changes. I pumped up the domestic business, streamlined inventory management, and the sales processes,” Viren recalls. His efforts bore fruit as the company’s revenue increased and the workforce too expanded.

STIM now operates four manufacturing facilities in Noida, covering a combined area of 30,000 sq. ft., and a warehouse spread over 2000 sq. ft. These facilities produce 1.5 million brushes per day while maintaining around 60 SKUs.

Their products cater to almost every age group, including brushes for children aged 0 to 15, an orthodontist range for teenagers and young adults, and dentures for the elderly.

STIM's head office is located in Noida, while the sales office operates out of Kolkata. They have also expanded internationally by acquiring DOC Brands, a dental manufacturing company in Philadelphia, USA, thereby establishing an office there as well.

Viren focused on domestic business and added more products to STIM's portfolio

When STIM was set up four decades ago, it only traded in toothbrushes and later added floss and mouthwash to its range. “My grandfather used to source brushes from a local supplier and then promote them to dentists. He also supplied other dental care items to the dentists,” Viren explains.

In the late 1980s, Viren’s father, Vineet Khuller, joined the business and started contract manufacturing of toothbrushes and interdental brushes. He also expanded the business by establishing the export division.

Vineet started manufacturing products after he set up the first plant in Noida in 1993 with just 20 employees, including both factory and office staff. The business took off, and they haven't looked back since.

STIM’s business model is simple. They have a sales team of 100 people across India. These representatives take the products to dentists, who then prescribe them to patients.

Patients buy the products from pharmacies, and some doctors also store and sell STIM products directly from their clinics.

STIM has a network of super stockists in major metros like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Delhi. These super stockists supply products to 150 dental depots spread across India, which in turn supply to around 500 pharmacies.

“Our products are only available in local pharmacies as of now; we are entering general stores by the end of the year,” says Viren, highlighting the company’s plans for expansion.

Recently, STIM inaugurated its fourth manufacturing plant in the SEZ zone in Noida and continues to add new products to its range.

The company employs technicians, chemists, market researchers, sales personnel, and a team that manages their website and factory operations.

STIM currently employs more than 2,000 people

A significant portion of STIM’s revenue comes from exports, which accounts for 70% of their business. They export to various countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Canada, and Japan.

The remaining 30% of their revenue comes from the domestic market. In India, STIM operates through both offline and online sales models. Their online sales are primarily through Amazon and Flipkart, which account for 80% of their business, while the company’s website contributes the remaining 20%.

The company’s pricing strategy is inclusive, with the least-priced product being a regular-sized STIM brush for Rs. 20, and the most expensive product being a children’s dental kit priced at Rs. 350. The children’s kit includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, a two-minute timer, a toothbrush cover, and a free gift.

Viren’s leadership and innovative approach have played a crucial role in STIM’s growth. Despite growing up in a privileged family, Viren and his younger brother Vidit had a modest upbringing.

“We were never shown the money and did not know the worth of our business or turnover. We got a fixed pocket money of Rs 2000 and had to manage with it for the whole month,” Viren shares.

Later in life, this upbringing helped Viren understand his employees better and foster a supportive work environment.

Reflecting on his initial years at the company, Viren admits that it was challenging to gain the respect of senior management. “As the boss’s son, the first two years were difficult for me. It took time to gain respect because of the age gap between me and the senior management,” he says.

Starting as a production executive with a salary of Rs. 30,000 per month, he worked on the factory floor and with the sales team for two years before making significant contributions to the company’s growth.

Today, the entire Khuller family is involved in the business. Viren’s father Vineet heads the manufacturing unit, Viren manages the domestic business and handles the sales and marketing departments, and his younger brother Vidit, who recently joined the company, is in charge of product development.

Viren with Vidushi, his school sweetheart whom he married

On the personal front, Viren is married to his school sweetheart Vidushi, and they have a daughter named Vani. Vidushi, a history honours graduate and a trained chef from Le Cordon Bleu London, has a restaurant in Delhi and also manages the marketing department of STIM.

In his leisure time, Viren enjoys reading, playing tennis, and socialising with his friends.

Viren is modest while offering his advice to upcoming entrepreneurs. “I think I am too young to give advice, but I would still suggest that one should not shy away from failure and should be willing to take risks. The biggest fear is the fear of failure, and if you overcome it, nothing can stop you,” he says.

STIM’s success story is a testament to the vision, hard work, and determination of the Khuller family. From its humble beginnings to becoming a major player in the dental care industry, the company has come a long way.

With Viren at the helm, the future looks promising for STIM as it continues to innovate and expand its reach both domestically and internationally. - ©TWL