Upbeat about the performance of its Ayush range of hair products, FMCG major Hindustan Lever Ltd has firmed up plans to foray into full-fledged herbal healthcare by the middle of this year.

"We have decided to unveil a couple of over-the-counter ayurvedic healthcare products like cough syrup, pain balms on a nationwide scale by mid this year," Dalip Sehgal, executive director, new ventures and marketing services, HLL said on Wednesday.

Sehgal said Ayush in the hair care category had emerged as a Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million) brand in a short span and riding on its success the company would set up an altogether different marketing network which would address chemists and pharmacies.

As a part of this foray, the company would also initiate a 'medical equity programme' under which doctors and physicians will be informed about the products on a regular basis.

He said the company which would bring out the products after conducting intensive research will also look at therapeutic segments like digestive, health supplements and personal care products in therapeutic space.

Apart from products in these categories, HLL would also look at establishing complete ayurvedic therapeutic centres called Ayush Therapy Centre, he said and added that some of the healthcare products and therapy centres had already been test marketed in Tamil Nadu.

Unveiling company's direct selling network, HLL Network, he said some products in the ayurvedic healthcare range will continue to be sold by way existing FMCG channels apart from chemists.

Sehgal said the company had taken its formulations from Ayurveda Pharmacy which were thoroughly researched at its centre in Mumbai.

Speaking about the HLL Network, Sehgal said the company was eyeing a turnover of Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) in the next five years.

The company had been present in the direct selling space with Aviance, an international cosmetics range and with this launch, it now plans to aggressively enter into other consumer categories like home care, kitchen care and laundry care.