Veena Kumaravel, along with her husband C K Kumaravel, started the first Naturals Salon in Chennai in 2000. They saw a gap in the market for affordable premium salons accessible to middle-class customers. Despite having no prior experience in hair, beauty, or salon management, they focused on learning business management and recruiting skilled professionals to run the operations.
Growth of Naturals
From a single salon in Chennai, Naturals expanded to nearly 1,000 franchises across India and overseas, including London, Singapore, and the Gulf. Today, Naturals is India’s largest salon chain, with thousands of franchise owners, most of whom are women. The brand disrupted the dominance of multinational chains by offering high-quality, affordable services.
Supporting Women Entrepreneurs
Veena and Kumaravel have always focused on helping women start their own businesses. Naturals empowers women franchise owners and provides training, mentorship, and guidance. Many women now run successful Naturals salons, earning a stable income and gaining independence in a traditionally male-dominated society.
Jobs and Opportunities
Naturals has created thousands of jobs for stylists, beauticians, and support staff. In Kerala alone, the salon and grooming industry generates over ₹5,000 crore in revenue, with projections to exceed ₹9,000 crore by 2033. The chain actively supports its employees by sharing profits and offering growth opportunities, including plans to extend shares to salon staff through future IPO initiatives.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Veena Kumaravel’s approach encourages young women to become entrepreneurs, take risks, and follow their dreams. Naturals has become a platform for thousands of women to step into business, earn independently, and grow professionally. Each franchise represents not just a salon, but a story of women achieving their ambitions.
