From a modest start in 1937, when hand-carts were used to distribute Colgate Dental Cream Toothpaste, Colgate-Palmolive (India) today has one of the widest distribution networks in India – a logistical marvel that makes Colgate available in almost 4.93 million retail outlets across the country. The Company has grown to a Rs. 2805 crore plus organization with an outstanding record of enhancing value for its strong shareholder base. The company leads the Rs.5200  crore Indian toothpaste market by holding 53.2% of the market share.

Since 1976, Colgate has worked in close partnership with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) to spread the message of oral hygiene to children across the country under its ‘Bright Smiles, Bright Futures’ Schools Dental Education Program. This program has successfully reached more than 105 million school children covering around  2,34,756 schools  across the country since its launch. The program focuses on children so that the message of good oral hygiene is carried home to families and the community at large. In 2004, as an additional effort to create awareness for good oral hygiene ‘Oral Health Month’ (OHM), was introduced. Since its launch, OHM is conducted each year during September / October, where free dental check ups are conducted by Colgate in partnership with IDA across the country. Conducted in designated towns and cities to establish and promote the importance of good oral hygiene, OHM is Colgate’s mass consumer contact program.

The strong relationship and the trust of generations of consumers, trade and the dental profession built over decades of operations in India has made Colgate a trusted household name. In 2009, Colgate-Palmolive (India) was adjudged as the Best Value Creator (Mid C ap Category) in the 2009 Outlook Money NDTV Profits Awards. In 2003, Colgate was ranked India’s #1 Most Trusted Brand across all categories by Brand Equity’s Most Trusted Brand Survey conducted in conjunction with Neilsen – a position it held in succession for four consecutive years from 2003 to 2007 and has been the only brand in the top three coveted position in all the 8 surveys conducted since 2001. Prior to this, Colgate was also rated as the #1 brand by the A&M – MODE Annual Survey for India’s Top Brands for eight out of nine years during the period 1992 to 2001

Updated 29 August, 2012