“We’ve worked tirelessly to help better serve not only athletes but everyone everywhere”: Mayuri Pitale, Director of Business Development & Marketing, Hyperice India

Mayuri Pitale - Director of Business Development and Marketing, Hyperice (India) (Image by Sportskeeda)

The fitness and wellness space has been booming of late. Some of the hypercharged growth seen in this sector, however, was short-term in nature due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was notable in Peloton's case, which saw demand slip sharply as lockdowns eased, among a whole barrage of other problems that have since seen column inches pile up in publications around the world. Others, however, seem to be bucking the trend and going from strength to strength.

To get an inside take on one such global brand that has seen resounding success in recent years, and to understand its plans for the Indian market, Sportskeeda caught up with Mayuri Pitale, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Hyperice (India). With her most recent role as Head of Marketing in India for GoPro, and having previously worked with Viacom, WWE, and GoPro, Mayuri has 18 years of experience in brand building and leads Hyperice’s growth in the Indian market.

Founded in 2011 by Anthony Katz, Hyperice started out as a sports recovery brand. It has since built a portfolio of products such as the Venom, Hypervolt, Vyper, and Normatec, to name a few, that use heat, percussion, vibration, and air compression to aid in an individual’s recovery. What has really helped the brand stand out over the years are the athletes and sports franchises it has been associated with, and the fact that a big chunk of these global superstar athletes are not only brand ambassadors but also investors in the brand.

Speaking about the extent of Hyperice’s athlete partnerships and their nature, Mayuri happily pointed out that all the partnerships in question were truly authentic; some of these partners have used the brand's products since the very beginning of their journey. Acknowledging that the athletes help generate plenty of interest and excitement around the brand, she also appreciated the massive reach they provide in serving a broad audience made up of anyone looking to combat the impact that sports and daily life have on their minds and bodies.

Many of these athletes have also been keen to help with product development, as they understand the importance of what these products can do physiologically; not just for elite athletes, but also for everyday people.

Speaking about some of the most prominent global names on their roster and how they help the brand better understand their customer base, she said:

“Our extensive line-up of athlete-investors, including Virat Kohli, Naomi Osaka, Erling Haaland, Daniel Ricciardo, and 30+ other athletes have all used and loved Hyperice’s technology, so the alignment was a natural fit. Partnering with these accomplished athletes also helps our audience to understand the importance of recovery and soft tissue hygiene.”

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🚀💪 @Hyperice

I'm excited to join #TeamHyperice as their newest global ambassador and athlete investor. I'm already such a fan of their recovery and performance products as they help me stay at my best both on and off the pitch.

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We're Just Getting Started.
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We believe this partnership will help athletes in Japan, the U.S., and throughout the world, continue to see the importance of recovery for overall wellness.
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#Hyperice #MoveBetter #NaomiOsaka

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The future of football. 💪⚽️
We’re hyped to welcome @ErlingHaaland to #TeamHyperice as an athlete and investor. Together we’re going to change the game on and off the pitch. https://t.co/7wpeYbXbcw

While this roster of athlete-investors itself is no doubt impressive, the brand is also an official partner for over 20 major sports franchises, leagues and properties such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tottenham Hotspur, New York Yankees, UFC, Ironman, and Los Angeles Lakers, to name but a few.

Hyperice official partners (Image by Sportskeeda)

Just in!! @Hyperice is the Official Recovery Technology of the Global IRONMAN® Triathlon Series. They will be set up beyond all finish lines at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events with ‘Official Hyperice Recovery Zones’ to help you recover immediately post-race😍 #Hyperice https://t.co/UVisVu746N

Further, the NFL partnership also saw Hyperice have a major presence at the NFL House for Super Bowl LVI and provide the ultimate recovery experience throughout the weekend of the event.

Welcome to LA. 🌆

We’ve arrived at @NFL House for #SBLVI. We’ll be hosting #TeamHyperice, NFL legends, VIPs and more by serving up the ultimate recovery experience all weekend.

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Brand evolution and new identity of Hyperice

While the plethora of athlete-investors and partners that they have on board certainly helps their cause, Hyperice has also been broadening its scope. They recently announced a shift from being a sports recovery brand to a holistic high-performance wellness one. Commenting on this shift, Mayuri noted that Hyperice today is a brand that is for everyone, whether they be an elite athlete or an individual who is simply looking for solutions to combat the impact of daily life and unlock the best version of themselves.

Stressing the brand's mission to help everyone move and live better, while also elevating the importance of both mental and physical wellness, Mayuri added:

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve worked tirelessly to push the boundaries of innovation to help better serve not only athletes, but everyone everywhere – allowing people to keep moving the way they want to, when they want to. We’ve built a brand that has helped define an entire category.”

Given that the brand's new identity promotes mental wellness along the same lines as physical wellness, the July 2021 acquisition of Core, a mental wellness company, would seem to fit in perfectly. Reflecting on the importance of mental wellness in a globalized world that never stops, Mayuri commented:

“Mental wellness is a foundational part of elite performance and is essential for simply being human. Whether you’re looking for relief from a difficult time, or a boost in focus for your next big goal, we believe that taking care of the mind is at the core of everything we do.”

A new feather in the brand’s cap, Core is an immersive meditation experience that helps an individual focus. Noting that Core has something for anything that might be on one’s mind, Mayuri said:

“The Core ecosystem includes an app and a handheld meditation device designed to track heart rate and stress levels. Core’s vibrations centre your attention during meditation, and the biosensors give you feedback to see your body’s physical response, including your heart rate variability (HRV); a leading indicator of wellness, and you have access to a never-ending library of guided meditations, breath training, and soundscapes in the Core App.”

Reiterating that the Core acquisition and the creation of a Mind Technology Division is testament to the brand’s commitment to holistic high-performance wellness, Mayuri said:

“Our expanded line of offerings will help us deliver an unparalleled experience, addressing the physical and mental health, performance, recovery, and self-care needs of all our customers. As our footprint grows across markets, we will ensure equal emphasis on making the benefits of our products accessible to everyone; athletes and non-athletes alike.”

While the addition of Core is certainly bound to give a boost to their product offerings, Hyperice is also no stranger to acquisitions and integrating the products of acquired companies into their own portfolio. The brand also acquired NormaTec, an innovator of cutting-edge compression pneumatic systems in early 2020, as well as startup Recover X in January 2021, which allowed them to add what is now the Hyperice X product to their portfolio.

India is a top three growth market for Hyperice

While Hyperice has been building itself up as a strong global brand, the Indian market holds a special place for them. In addition to Virat Kohli, athletes such as professional gamer Ankit "V3nom" Panth, Indian national football team and ATK Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, professional circuit and off-road motorcycle racer Aishwarya Pissay, among others, are also associated with the brand in India.

Diving specifically into the Indian market for the global brand, Mayuri said:

“India is one of our top three growth markets and we are strategically building our business locally through retail expansion, fitness experiences and our relationship with Virat Kohli, as well as our roster of other Indian athletes. In fact, we recently announced the launch of the new generations of our wildly popular Hypervolt and Vyper lines in India. Thus, through a new brand identity and anchored by a suite of new products and industry-first technologies, we endeavour to build this category in India and further our mission of helping everyone on earth move better, live better, and be better.”

Given the increased awareness around health and wellness in recent years, consumers are looking for new technologies and modalities to help improve health and wellness. Given this trend, Mayuri noted that the company has been working towards creating immersive experiences so that people in India can touch and experience these devices and understand their physiological benefits. Going one step further into their distribution strategy and partners, she mentioned:

“Heilsa was our legacy distributor in India. As we grow the business in India multifold, we have now appointed a national distributor, Creative Newtech, to help support our ambitious expansion plan.”

Adding further with regards to the brand’s e-commerce and retail presence in India, Mayuri said:

“Hyperice launched at retail with Croma, Amazon, Flipkart, Tata Cliq, Hyperice.in, Reliance Digital and across many sports specialty doors. We are also focused on creating fitness recovery experiences with the likes of Cult.fit or UFC Gyms as we continue to educate the everyday consumer and fitness enthusiasts on the importance of caring for your muscles and focusing on recovery with Hyperice.”

Awards, and future of Hyperice

A globally successful brand cannot be created without a high-quality team and organizational culture. To that effect, Hyperice received the "Best Employers in Sports" award for 2021 by Front Office Sports. Rounding off the interview by explaining what sets the organization apart from others in the sports industry, Mayuri said:

“Employees are the heart of Hyperice. We are honoured to have been recognized as one of the organisations setting new standards in the industry when it comes to leadership, employee well-being, professional development as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. We shall continue to prioritize employee well-being while facilitating an empowering work environment to enable employees to learn and grow.”

With an athlete-investors and partners list that features the crème de la crème of the global sports industry, gross revenue for Hyperice eclipsed $200 million in 2020 after having been at $10 million in 2017, as reported by Forbes.

Furthermore, after having raised $48 million at a valuation of $700 million in October 2020 in a Series A round from investors such as the NFL and NBA, the brand valuation was set to cross the $1 billion mark in early 2021, as reported by Hyperice CEO Jim Huether in an interview with CNBC. Given the financial leeway the company presently has, the future certainly looks bright for Hyperice and its consumers.