CPG Brand Growth Tips

Five years ago I would not have believed this. The biggest names in CPG are quietly taking food out of the center of the plate. Unilever is carving out an $8B ice cream portfolio to focus on beauty and wellness. Nestlé is leaning harder into health science. The categories with pricing power are not pantry staples. They are skincare, supplements, functional hydration, and performance nutrition. Why the shift is rational, not trendy: Food margins are getting squeezed. Trade down is real, private label is sharper, and price elasticity in core staples is hitting its ceiling. Health and wellness carry willingness to pay. Consumers accept a premium for outcomes, routines, and performance. They do not reward cost plus in pasta sauce. Loyalty is drifting in food. Promotions move share week to week. Self care and efficacy-led categories hold repeat. You can already see where momentum lives. L'Oréal skincare growth outpaced many classic food portfolios last year. The Coca-Cola Company is pushing deeper into functional and non-carbonated. PepsiCo’s most defensible engine is Gatorade’s ecosystem of hydration, not soda. These are not side bets. They are where pricing power and repeat accrue. What I am advising leadership teams to do now: • Reweight the portfolio. Map pricing power, repeat, and trade down risk by category. If the math says wellness and self care carry the margin story, allocate accordingly. • Build credibility before you buy it. If you are a food-first house moving into health, you need scientific muscle, regulatory fluency, and communities that care. Partnerships, acqui-hires, and advisory benches matter. • Treat personalization as a revenue lever. Recommendations, routines, and subscription logic are table stakes in self care. Own the data and make it useful. • Keep the core honest. Food will not disappear, but it must earn its space with cleaner RGM, fewer zombie SKUs, and real reasons to stick around outside of price. I am not declaring the death of food. I am pointing at where the next decade of pricing power is likely to sit. The winners will rebalance now, not after a third year of elasticities telling the same story. If you are leading a CPG portfolio, are you future proofing around outcomes and routines, or are you managing a slow decline in categories that no longer set the pace? #FMCG #CPG #ConsumerTrends #GrowthStrategy #Beauty #Wellness #RevenueShift #BrandEvolution

₹800 Crore Beverage Playbook: How an Auto Driver Built a Cola Empire Without Ads India doesn’t have a beverage problem; it's a distribution problem. 1. Old model: Celebrity endorsements, massive ad budgets, urban-first strategy, and premium pricing. 2. New model: Kirana-first distribution, zero ad dependency, local taste engineering and aggressive pricing. This shift is powered by Sathya Shankar through SG Corporation. ✅ THE NUMBERS 1. Revenue: ₹800 Cr 2. Retail reach: 100,000+ outlets 3. Manufacturing: 4+ plants 4. Pricing: 30–40% lower than MNCs 5. Retailer margins: 15–20% higher than competitors Low price for consumers. High margin for retailers. ✅ The Real Insight: Distribution Beats Branding Global giants sell aspiration. Shankar sold availability. Always in stock. Always chilled. Always visible. - Because in India, if it’s not in the fridge, it doesn’t exist. This is shelf-share economics, not mindshare. ✅ Where the Real Money Is Made 1. Product doesn’t build beverage brands. Distribution does. Focus on Tier 2 & Tier 3 markets. Deep kirana penetration. Strong retailer incentives & retailer chooses what sells fastest. And what earns them more 2. Result: Front-row fridge placement. Every time. That’s the moat. ✅ Hyper-Local Advantage 1. While MNCs globalize taste, SG localises it. Jeera soda for Indian palate Strong, spicy flavour profiles are designed for heat & mass consumption. This is not adaptation. This is native product design. 2. Because Indian consumers don’t want subtle. They want impact. ✅ Origin Advantage The early years weren’t a struggle. They're training. 1. Auto driving → understanding demand patterns 2. Distribution work → learning last-mile logistics 3. Saving capital → building ground-up knowledge ✅ Hidden Moat: Retail Economics - Why do kirana stores push this brand? Simple: They earn more. Higher margins vs global brands. Faster inventory turnover. Local supply reliability - In FMCG, the retailer is the real gatekeeper. Win the retailer → win the market. - Luxury purchases like Rolls-Royce or Bentley aren’t just indulgences. They are signals. Builds supplier trust, unlocks credit lines and creates a perception of scale. In business, perception is leverage, and leverage drives growth. - SG Corporation is now upgrading AI-led logistics tracking, real-time bottle return systems & lower glass logistics cost. - Plus: Entry into packaged snacks. - Target: ₹1,500 Crore scale This is moving from beverage brand → FMCG platform. ✅ Let me share the #Rajspectives 1. Distribution is the real moat in FMCG. 2. Retailers decide winners, not ads. 3. Local taste beats global branding. 4. Margins drive placement. Placement drives sales. 5. Solve for the mass market, and scale follows. Sathya Shankar didn’t try to beat Coca-Cola or Pepsi at branding. He beat them at availability. Because in India, the brand that reaches the smallest shop. Controls the biggest market. #india #fmcg #business #startups #distribution #strategy

Growing a business requires a significant amount of strategic focus on acquiring new customers. Rolling out new products, expanding our target audience, and partnering with category-adjacent businesses are all critical strategies for scaling. However, an over emphasis on acquisition can often lead to losing sight of nurturing the people who've already chosen us. What's been on my mind lately is the real cost of falling into the "good enough" trap. While you're busy chasing new customers, another organization is working just as hard to win over yours. When complacency sets in, they're prepared to parachute in, make your customers feel like a priority, and communicate exactly what they can deliver to make them consider switching. Especially when consumers are increasingly price-conscious, scaling and growing your business isn't just an acquisition game. It's fundamentally about continually creating new ways to deliver value to your current customers. Here are some of my go-to approaches to deepen that connection and value with your existing audience: Predict and Reward: You have incredible data on what your customers do and want. Use it to stay one step ahead and deliver something that genuinely surprises them in the best way. Think proactive delight, not just reactive service. Build a Real Community: People crave belonging. They love being part of a group where they feel seen, heard, and valued. Whether it’s online spaces or in-person meetups, create a place where your customers can truly connect, share, and feel like they belong. That builds incredible stickiness. Go Above and Beyond: I had a shipping issue with a company recently, and they didn’t just fix it, they kept me updated every step of the way, apologized sincerely, and even provided extra products. It turned a momentary problem into a powerful moment of real trust and appreciation. We need to look at current customers differently. Instead of just viewing them as consistent buyers, we should see them as amplifiers, invaluable feedback providers, and crucial testers. They are often your strongest allies in scaling and growing your business because, when nurtured, they will grow with you.

Founders love building product. It’s safe, it’s controllable, it’s what they’re good at. But product without distribution is just expensive art. Startups don’t usually win because they have the best product — they win because they have the best distribution. The best founders understand this early. The others realise it too late. Average product with great distribution beats great product with average distribution almost every time. The internet is littered with dead startups that built beautiful things nobody ever found. If your go-to-market plan is “we’ll launch on Product Hunt and see what happens” — you don’t have a plan. If your user acquisition strategy is “word of mouth” before you have any users — you’re just hoping. Great early-stage companies don’t accidentally stumble into distribution. They engineer it. They start selling early, even when the product sucks. They obsess over where their users hang out, who influences them, how they buy. They think about distribution like a product. And they never, ever outsource it. In the end, product is what gets you love, but distribution is what gives it life.

When a soda brand does what even global giants couldn't: Conquering 3 continents with zero celebrity endorsements. Most brands spend millions on star power. Goli Soda? They spent zero on celebrities and everything on strategic brilliance. Here's how they cracked the international code: 1/ The Rebranding Goli Soda → Goli Pop Soda - Transformed a local nostalgia product into a global brand - Maintained emotional connection - Created universal appeal without losing roots 2/ Innovation as Their Only Marketing They didn't sell a drink. They sold an experience. - Redesigned packaging that tells a story - Engineered a unique pop opener mimicking childhood memories - Created a sensory journey in every bottle 3/ Expansion Strategy: Pure Genius - Partnered with Fair Exports - Secured placement in international retail chains like Lulu Hypermarket - Exported cultural heritage, not just a beverage Entrepreneurs, take note: Your local innovations aren't limitations. They're your global competitive advantage. What overlooked local product do you think could be the next global disruptor? #global #indianbrand #strategy

Throughout my decade-long journey in the tech industry, if there's one lesson that’s stuck with me, it’s this: your connection with your customers is everything. At Supersourcing, we’ve woven this belief into the fabric of our business. And trust me, it’s made all the difference. Here’s how we keep our customer focus sharp and true: - Listen First, Act Fast: Early on, I learned that listening isn’t just about hearing words; it’s about understanding your customers' underlying needs and emotions. We prioritize active listening—through regular feedback loops and candid conversations—so that when we act, it’s both swift and deeply aligned with what our clients actually want. - Tailored Solutions, Not One-Size-Fits-All: One of the most transformative shifts we made was moving from a transactional mindset to a partnership approach. It helps us understand our clients’ bigger picture—what are their goals? What keeps them up at night? We tailor our solutions to align with these insights, making our support feel less like a service and more like a collaboration. - Transparent Communication Builds Trust: I can’t stress enough how much transparency has contributed to our success. It’s about being upfront, even when the news isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Our clients appreciate honesty, and this straightforward approach has helped us build strong, lasting relationships based on trust and mutual respect. - Proactivity Is Key: Waiting for a problem to arise means you’re already too late. We’ve built a culture of proactivity—whether it’s checking in on developers regularly or anticipating potential roadblocks, we aim to address challenges before they turn into problems. These strategies have been pivotal in driving not just customer satisfaction but loyalty and advocacy. It’s about being more than a vendor; it’s about being a partner who genuinely cares about the success of those we serve. How do you keep your client relationships strong and authentic? I’m eager to hear your thoughts!

As a VC, I'm frequently approached by passionate founders seeking valuable advice to propel their early-stage startups to new heights. One question that often arises is, "How can I scale my business effectively?" My response to them includes a reminder of an amazing concept from the renowned entrepreneur and co-founder of Y Combinator, Paul Graham. …. a piece of advice that many successful founders swear by: "Do Things That Don't Scale." In the early stages of a startup, it's tempting to chase rapid growth and scalability. However, the key lies in understanding the importance of the foundational phase. Embracing the 'Do Things That Don't Scale' mindset enables you to iterate, adapt, and deliver personalized experiences that resonate deeply with your customers. Building authentic relationships with this initial group can lead to organic growth through word-of-mouth referrals, a powerful driver of success. Moreover, this approach showcases your startup's proof of concept, demonstrating traction and customer satisfaction to potential investors. It sets the stage for long-term scalability, armed with a solid understanding of what genuinely works for your target market. Here are some non-scalable yet effective ways to build great bonds with your users. 🔹 Conducting in-depth user onboarding sessions for early adopters. 🔹 Personally reaching out to potential customers via phone calls. 🔹Hosting small, invite-only events to showcase the product. 🔹 Offering personalized product demos tailored to individual needs. 🔹Collaborating closely with customers to co-create new features. 🔹Sending surprise gifts or tokens of appreciation to loyal users. 🔹Offering free trials with extended support and assistance. Any other ways you can add? #startups #customers #traction #support

One of the best ways to create authentic relationships with your customers, get honest feedback on your product and surface game changing ideas is to create a Customer Advisory Board (CAB). Here are the lessons I’ve learned about how to create and run a successful CAB. Your personal involvement as CEO is critical. If you lead it yourself, customers will engage at a deeper level. They’ll be more honest, more vulnerable, and more likely to become evangelists for your company. No one else can unlock this dynamic the way a CEO can. Be clear on the persona. Is your CAB for buyers, users, or budget holders? At BetterCloud, our sweet spot was Directors of IT. Not the CIO, not the IT admin. Know exactly whose voice you want in the room and tailor everything to them. Skip the compensation, give them “status”. Don’t pay CAB members—it gets messy. Instead, make them feel like insiders. Give them a title, early access to roadmaps, VIP treatment at events, and public recognition. People want to feel valued and influential, not bought. Set a cadence you can maintain. I tried monthly meetings once. That was a mistake. Quarterly is the sweet spot. One in-person gathering per year—ideally tied to an industry event—goes a long way in deepening relationships. Structure matters. CABs aren’t just roundtables. They’re curated experiences. Keep meetings tight (90-120 minutes), show real products that are still in the development process (even rough wireframes or high level ideas), and create space for interaction. Done right, they become the ultimate feedback engine. Build real relationships. Your CAB shouldn’t just exist in meetings. Build one-on-one connections. Text, email, check in at events. Keep it small enough that people feel seen and valued. When they have a direct line to the CEO, they stay engaged—and they speak the truth. Done right, your CAB becomes more than just a feedback mechanism. It becomes a strategic asset. It can shape your roadmap, sharpen your positioning, and strengthen your customer relationships in ways no survey ever could. For a deeper dive and detailed tactics behind each of these, check out the full writeup on the Not Another CEO Substack.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 ₹𝟱𝟬 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 ₹𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲! Chandubhai Virani's journey shatters every myth about needing venture capital to dominate an industry. He arrived in Rajkot from a drought-ravaged village in 1974 with nothing, sold cinema refreshments, and noticed moviegoers craving quality chips. By 1982, he started frying wafers at home. Today, Balaji Wafers commands ₹5,000+ crores in revenue – built on reinvesting every rupee into better machinery. From dodging shopkeepers returning damaged packets to rejecting multinational buyouts, Chandubhai didn't just build chips – he rewrote India's snack playbook through ruthless operational discipline. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 1982 became his defining year. While competitors took home profits, Chandubhai identified the brutal truth: scaling a food business isn't about taste alone – it's about consistency that machinery delivers. He made the radical decision - reinvest 100% of profits into fryers and sealing machines. Zero personal luxuries. Create the flywheel effect through technology obsession. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲 When rivals spent on advertising, Balaji made the category-defining move: industrial wafer line in 2000, automated production systems, quality control eliminating human error, consistent taste across millions of packets. By 1992, formal incorporation signaled serious intent. The company's refusal to compromise on taste turned casual buyers into lifetime customers. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 From home-based frying to processing millions of kilograms daily required surgical execution. 2017: ₹1,800 crore revenue. Today: ₹5,000+ crore empire. Multiple factories, dominant Gujarat presence, pan-India expansion – methodical growth driven by operational excellence, not celebrity endorsements. 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: While others withdrew profits, Chandubhai bought machinery that created compounding production advantages. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Same great taste for 40+ years built trust no marketing campaign could buy. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆: Building networks shop-by-shop created reach that forced MNCs to notice. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁: Rejecting buyouts preserved control that enabled long-term thinking over quarterly pressures. Today, Balaji Wafers stands as proof that boring operational excellence and patient reinvestment create category dominance! #Entrepreneurship #Hyperscaling #Foodindustry

The ₹1,000 Cr D2C Formula – How brands like Mamaearth & boAt Lifestyle scaled FAST A few years ago, I had a conversation with a founder who wanted to build the next big D2C brand. He had a great product, decent traction, and was doing ₹ 10- 15L in monthly revenue. But when I asked him, "What’s your growth strategy?" — he went silent. This is where most D2C brands fail. They focus too much on the product and forget the engine that scales brands to ₹1,000 Cr+. Look at Mamaearth, boAt Lifestyle, SUGAR Cosmetics, and Plum—they all cracked one thing: They didn’t just sell products. They built a SYSTEM for rapid scale. Here’s the ₹1,000 Cr D2C formula I’ve seen work over and over again: 1️⃣ Right Product, Right Market Fit Mamaearth doesn’t just sell skincare. They sell toxin-free, safe products for moms & babies. BOAT doesn’t just sell earphones. They sold a lifestyle. Lesson: Your product should be positioned to solve a specific problem for a specific audience. 2️⃣ Performance Marketing Mastery BOAT spent ₹60 Cr on influencer & digital ads in a single year. Mamaearth used UGC & influencer-driven ads to scale their CAC profitably. Lesson: D2C is a numbers game. If you don’t know your CAC, AOV, LTV—you’ll burn cash. 3️⃣ Owning the Distribution Game SUGAR Cosmetics cracked quick commerce (Blinkit, Zepto) while boAt Lifestyle dominated Amazon & Flipkart. Mamaearth built a hybrid strategy—D2C + Retail expansion for sustainable growth. Lesson: Scale needs multiple distribution channels, not just Instagram ads. 4️⃣ Branding That Sticks "Crack the Code" by BOAT. "Goodness Inside" by Mamaearth. They built brands that connected emotionally, not just through discounts. Lesson: If your brand doesn’t create an identity beyond sales, it won’t last. Now, here’s the real question: Which of these strategies is your D2C brand focusing on? Scaling to ₹1,000 Cr isn’t luck. It’s a formula. And the best part? It’s repeatable. If you’re building a D2C brand and want to scale, drop a comment or DM me—let’s talk growth. #D2C #StartupGrowth #BrandBuilding #PerformanceMarketing #EcommerceScale #Entrepreneurship