Vaeshnavi Kasthuril, MINT Mumbai, 6 May 2026 Fashion retailers are speeding up deliveries to keep pace with instant-gratification shopping driven by quick-fashion startups, with established players and newer brands taking sharply different approaches. For example, brands such as Biba and The House of Rare have adopted a more calibrated, infrastructure-led strategy rather than a rapid overhaul of existing store networks. "We've been doing this in a very soft way but not necessarily from the same stores because that affects the customer experience," said Siddharth Bindra, managing director of Biba. Bindra said using retail stores as fulfilment hubs for rapid delivery…
Neethi Lisa Rojan, Mint 2 May 2026, Mumbai Fast-moving consumer goods makers are leaning on a mix of price increases, smaller pack sizes and tighter cost controls to navigate raw-material volatility triggered by the ongoing US-Iran war, while still reporting robust volume growth for the March quarter. The ongoing war blew up end February this year, disrupting global supply chains. Executives at top firms said calibrated pricing and ‘shrinkflation’ are helping them protect margins. The trend shows staples demand have held up, but also points to a gradual pass-through of higher commodity and packaging costs to consumers as geopolitical disruptions…
Yuthika Bhargava & Vikash Tripathi, Outlook Business Mumbai, 1 May 2026 For generations of Indians, the word Tata hasn’t just been a brand, it has been a permanent resident in our homes. Think back to the kitchens of your childhood. It was the familiar packet of Tata salt, the Desh ka Namak, that seasoned every meal. It was the steaming cup of Tata tea that signalled the start of the day for elders at home. In every Indian household, the name represents trust and legacy. Yet, when N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, wanted to hire Whirlpool India’s head Sunil…
Vaeshnavi Kasthuril, MINT Bengaluru, 7 March 2026 While many consumer goods companies are acquiring direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL) is pursuing a different playbook. The consumer arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries has been steadily buying regional legacy brands with strong local recall. By plugging these brands into Reliance’s vast retail and distribution ecosystem, the company hopes to accelerate its ambition of becoming an FMCG powerhouse. During the December quarter, RCPL overall gross revenue stood at 5,065 crore, up 60% year-on-year, according to an earnings statement from Reliance Industries. India’s FMCG sector remains dominated by established…
Apoorva Mittal, Economic Times 1 March 2026 Resshmi Nair, 31, had grown used to the dotted red bumps on her arms. Her dermatologist diagnosed it as keratosis pilaris aka strawberry skin. It is a harmless skin condition that often affects legs and arms but Nair, a Mumbai-based marketing consultant, wanted it gone. She slathered lotions and salves but to no avail. Then she chanced upon an Instagram reel which showed an oil-based in-shower spray that promised to take care of her problem. “It was very tempting as it resonated with a personal concern,” she says. She is now on her…
Ikea has been around in India for about eight years. and has taken a long-term view on India with product and format customisation, and future investment plans of over $2 billion.
Modern retail, consumption, brand building, M&A, balance of power between brands & retailers/platforms, sustainability vs growth and more; tune in if you're building for the long run
@vishalkrishna @devangshu
Youtube:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2G48xN2jhtSyIBhoZj7LCH...
Speaking with @Priyamouli1812, @devangshu explained that new-age lab grown diamond players are forcing traditional jewellers to introduce LGD options or risk losing younger customers.
