Nishchay Bahl

India-based alco-bev venture Loca Loka Tequila has expanded its leadership team as it gears up for the next phase of growth in the fast-rising tequila category. The company has appointed Rohit Srinivasan as Head of Marketing, Rajesh Israni as Head of Sales, and Ritesh Singh as Supply Chain & Logistics Manager, bringing in proven expertise across marketing, sales, and operations to fuel its international ambitions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gA2gQf_R #retail #business #news #market #update #alcobev #brand #localoka #leadership #expansion Sree Harsha Vadlamudi| Raghu Veer Yeadala| Carlos Garay| Laura Santana| Nicholas Jahanian, WSET ll| Mahesh Surapaneni

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Most brands don’t lose because of the product. They lose because the product never reaches where demand actually lives. In beverages, the biggest share gains came from fixing the distribution backbone. Here are the 4 levers that consistently moved share for us across Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Nepal: 1. DBR quality & ROI health A weak distributor breaks the entire chain. Consolidating fragmented bases, fixing ROI structures, and ensuring DBRs have the right infrastructure leads to healthy distributors. Healthy distributors, when incentivized well, are a potent force. Strong DBRs = strong share gains. 2. Route redesign & Secondary Coverage Ramp-up Poor routing = poor coverage = no chance of winning. Tightening route discipline, lifting outlet coverage, and fixing coverage frequency are critical levers to ensure the right route structuring. Increasing secondary vehicles with the right route structure is the single biggest move to expand the “available-to-buy” footprint. 3. Cooler density & placement discipline You don’t sell cold beverages without cold availability. We added 7,000 coolers on a base of 14,000 in one of the key states alone — a +50% jump and saw immediate lifts in stock weight and impulse conversion. 4. IT visibility of the market You can’t fix what you can’t see. Ramping up IT coverage leads to transformed decision-making, and suddenly, gaps weren’t assumptions; they were coordinates. TL;DR: You put in place strong distributors; from them, you get more secondary vehicles; you drive chilled availability, while tracking the performance! My operating belief: Distribution is where strategy becomes real. If you get the last mile right, share follows. Always. If this resonates with you, let’s connect! #FMCGIndia #GoToMarket #RTM #ExecutionWins #ConsumerGoods

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**Indian Rural Markets and Delivery Challenges: FMCG Perspective** India’s rural markets, home to over 65% of its 1.4 billion population (Census 2011, adjusted for growth), are a vital frontier for FMCG firms. With rural FMCG sales reaching $100 billion annually (NielsenIQ, 2023), companies like Hindustan Unilever (HUL), ITC, and Dabur are capitalizing on rising incomes—up 10% yearly (NITI Aayog, 2022)—and mobile penetration (75% of rural adults own phones, TRAI 2024). Affordable sachets, like HUL’s Rs. 2 shampoo packs, dominate, yet delivery challenges hinder growth. Geography is a major obstacle. India’s 6.4 lakh villages (Ministry of Rural Development, 2023) span diverse terrains—Uttarakhand’s hills, Rajasthan’s deserts, Bihar’s flood zones. Only 70% of rural roads are paved (NITI Aayog, 2022), forcing reliance on motorcycles or carts for last-mile delivery. Monsoons disrupt 30% of rural shipments annually (IMD, 2023), risking spoilage of perishables like ITC’s Aashirvaad atta. The distribution network adds complexity. Rural supply chains involve wholesalers, 12 million kirana stores (FMCG Distributors Federation, 2023), and stockists, inflating costs by 15% (Deloitte, 2022). A Rs. 5 soap bar may cross three intermediaries, squeezing margins. Small retailers, with 60% lacking storage, is struggle to maintain stock, delaying replenishment. Low population density—often 200 people per sq. km versus 1,000 in cities (World Bank, 2020)—makes delivery inefficient. Logistics costs, at 13% of FMCG expenses (CII, 2023), dwarf the 6% in developed markets. A van covering 10 villages might serve just 50 households, versus 500 in urban runs. Technology offers solutions but lags. Rural e-commerce grew 25% in 2024 (IAMAI), with JioMart and Flipkart expanding, yet only 40% of rural adults are digitally literate (NSSO, 2022). Internet access, at 55% (TRAI, 2024), limits online orders, and 80% prefer cash-on-delivery (KPMG, 2023), straining cash flow. FMCG firms innovate to adapt. HUL’s Project Shakti, with 1.6 lakh women distributors (HUL, 2024), boosts reach. ITC’s e-Choupal, serving 4 million farmers (ITC, 2023), doubles as a delivery channel. Local haats, hosting 40% of rural FMCG sales (FICCI, 2022), bypass logistics woes. Still, scaling remains tough. Success demands hyper-local strategies: regional tie-ups, hub-and-spoke models, and analytics—rural demand prediction accuracy rose 20% with AI (Accenture, 2023). Government aid, like the PMGSY’s 1.8 lakh km of new roads (MoRD, 2024), helps. As of March 2025, India’s rural FMCG market is ripe—if delivery hurdles are overcome. Thoughts ??

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The attached article, titled “Gupta is Highest Paid FMCG CEO”, highlights the sharp rise in executive compensation across India's FMCG sector in FY25, With Marico’s Saugata Gupta leading as the highest-paid CEO, driven largely by stock option gains. The article also covers modest hikes for CEOs at HUL, ITC, and Nestlé India, reflecting broader market challenges such as urban slowdown and rising competition from D2C and regional brands. I was quoted in the piece sharing a broader perspective on these trends: “The domestic FMCG sector has had to deal with both slowdown concerns as well as growing competition... Market leaders were not immune to these pressures, which reflected in CEO compensation.” Viveat Pinto thanks for covering my views 👍 #FMCG #Leadership #ExecutiveCompensation #upGradRekrut #MarketTrends #CEOInsights #TalentStrategy

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The war for talent is as critical as the war for market share. At Marico Limited, one of our toughest challenges was to attract leaders from leading FMCG of global companies. On the surface it looked difficult. These were people who worked with global brands and vast structures. Yet many of them felt stifled by the distance from decision making and lack of autonomy. Critical calls were being taken in headquarters far away. We built our proposition on a very different promise. At Marico, young leaders could launch products and see their ideas reach the shelves within months. They were empowered to shape outcomes in a way they could never have done in larger corporations. That became our edge. The war for talent is not won with higher salaries alone. It is won by creating an environment where people feel they can grow faster, take real responsibility, and make a visible difference. Markets reward the companies that win this war. Talent is the true multiplier of strategy. #leadership #talent #culture #future #success

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Sales Closing: The Great Indian FMCG Thriller:- If you believe that only Hollywood and Bollywood write thrillers, you haven't experienced the thrill of FMCG sales during month-end closing. The last 3–4 days of the month turn ordinary sales professionals into superheroes, mathematicians, psychologists, and sometimes, stand-up comedians. The Countdown Begins All month long, targets feel distant, manageable, and almost friendly. But the moment the calendar says 26th, the sales office transforms—the war drums start beating. Suddenly, every boss is a General, every Excel sheet is a battle plan, and every distributor is a fortress waiting to be conquered, and WhatsApp groups buzz with messages like, “Guys, why only 85% covered till date? Let’s push... anything less than 100% is not acceptable. The Distributor Hide-and-Seek Game At month-end, distributors develop a special skill: invisibility. Calls go unanswered, shutters mysteriously close, and the classic excuse arrives: “Sir, cheque clear nahi hua,” or “Sir, ek Ghante mein RTGS ho jayega, UTR number aa gaya".. Meanwhile, sales professional turn into Sherlock Holmes, tracking them down in tea shops, warehouses, or at weddings—anywhere but the office. Scheme-ology Month-end means schemes mutate into creatures of their own. “Buy 10 cartons, get 2 free.” “Lift 20, and we’ll gift you a pressure cooker.” “Target close kar lo, Goa trip milega.” By day 28, sales professionals are less salespeople and more magicians, pulling schemes out of thin air to make the closing look possible. The Boss Calls The most feared ringtone at month-end is the boss’s call. At month-end, targets shrink time faster than a Maggi packet cooks. The Legendary Distributor Dump Desperate times, desperate measures. Month-end often ends with a classic FMCG move: stock dumping. Suddenly, distributors who didn’t want 5 cartons are persuaded into taking 500—with the promise, “Sir, agle mahine adjust kar denge.” Distributors smile knowingly—they’ve survived more month-ends than anyone in the room. Everyone knows this dance. Everyone plays along. It’s the FMCG version of deja vu. Midnight Closing Drama On the 30th or 31st, offices resemble stock markets. Phones ring nonstop, numbers fly, and sales chaps file sales till midnight like they’re trading gold. When the clock strikes 12, there is finally relief. Month-end closing in FMCG isn’t just about numbers. It’s about resilience, jugaad, teamwork, and the sheer refusal to give up. So here’s to every sales professional who has fought the closing war—in rain and sun, with schemes and smiles, with chai and sheer willpower. There are no parades or national awards. Just tired smiles, high-fives, and the sweet relief of knowing you lived to fight another month. And then, in true FMCG style, the boss reminds you gently the next morning: “Good job team… Now let’s plan for next month.” And just like that, the cycle resets again in 24 hours😃.

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For decades, India’s FMCG engine thrived on one timeless truth: availability is king. But today, the definition of availability, including where, how, and at what cost, is being rewritten. As consumer behaviour evolves, retail channels multiply, and micro-markets emerge at an unprecedented pace, we’re entering a new era of sales and distribution. It’s no longer about scale alone; it’s about intelligent scale with precision, agility, and profitability. At Marico, we anticipated this shift early. Project SETU, our largest sales transformation initiative, is not just a response to change, it’s a leap ahead. Designed to build a future-ready Go-To-Market (GTM) model, SETU is driving this through: - Direct distribution expansion - strengthening rural and urban reach - AI-driven assortments for outlet-level precision, micro-nuancing, and premiumization - Offline-friendly digital tools with near real-time KPI tracking to empower frontline teams Our ambition is clear: profitable growth for all stakeholders while building sustainable competitive advantage. What’s working? - Pin-code precision over one-size-fits-all approaches because similar markets often behave differently - AI-led forecasting to anticipate micro-festivals and category triggers, reducing stock-outs and improving service levels - Tech and training for our salesforce to navigate India’s most fragmented terrains effectively The next decade belongs to companies that combine advanced technology with the intuition of retailers and frontline teams. At @Marico, we’re proud to lead that charge. I’m curious to know – according to you, what are the newest innovations and perspectives reshaping India’s sales and distribution ecosystem? #ProjectSetu #SalesTransformation #FMCGSales#SETU  

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"India is a diverse market with varying palates, lifestyles, and consumption drivers. They give us a powerful lens to innovate with intent." In a conversation with Geetika Srivastava, Nitin Bhandari, VP & GM – Beverages, PepsiCo India & South Asia, dives deep into the evolving beverage industry landscape. From culturally timed, insight-led campaigns to a sharper focus on digital-first formats, he highlights how the industry is transforming to keep up with the culture-driven, digital-first youth. Read the full article, here: https://lnkd.in/gRkwHeUb

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#NielsenIQ's report on the shift of #consumption patterns in India, particularly focusing on the #FMCG sector, is intriguing. The findings highlight the impact of economic prosperity, increased media penetration, and enhanced digital connectivity on consumer behavior of #ruralindia. This shift is not limited to #FMCG but extends to sectors like #FMCD and #FMEG as well. The exposure to a wide range of products is reshaping the market dynamics and every organization nee to recognize and accordingly make plans to capture this untapped markets. To read more about the report and delve into the changing landscape of consumption trends in India, check out the link below: https://lnkd.in/dwcNaSKM What are your thoughts on these evolving trends? #NIQ #FMCG #FMCD #FMEG #ConsumerBehavior #IndiaTrends

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"Arjun the FMCG Consultant – Cracking the Code of Team Performance" After two decades in FMCG sales, Arjun had seen it all — soaring targets, market disruptions, and high-performing teams that could move mountains. Now, as a consultant to emerging FMCG brands, Arjun was brought in by a mid-sized company facing a common but deadly problem: a bloated sales team with stagnant performance. In his very first meeting with the leadership team, Arjun asked a powerful question: “Do you know what kind of people you’ve hired — not by their resumes, but by their capability and commitment?” The room went silent. “Let me break it down,” Arjun said, walking to the whiteboard and drawing a 2x2 matrix. “Your team members fall into four categories,” he explained: C Players – Low Capability, Low Commitment “They don’t have the skills, and they don’t care.” B Commitment – Low Capability, High Commitment “They show up every day and try hard, but lack the ability to deliver.” B Capable – High Capability, Low Commitment “These are your lone wolves — great at what they do, but they play by their own rules.” A Players – High Capability, High Commitment “These are your superheroes. Every leader wants more of them.” “So what do we do about each type?” the HR Head asked. Arjun smiled. “That’s where leadership comes in.” 🔴 C Players (Low Capability, Low Commitment) “Try once. Maybe twice. But if they don't show willingness to improve — let them go.” Arjun was clear. “Keeping them means others will either slow down or leave.” 🟡 B Commitment (Low Capability, High Commitment) “These are the loyal soldiers. You must appreciate their effort,” Arjun said. “But effort isn’t enough. Give them training, coaching, tools to grow. "Support reveals sincerity. If they improve — great. If not — be brave enough to part ways.” Arjun paused. “Don’t promote them just because they’ve been around longer. That’s how you get ‘manager-damagers’ who block fresh talent.” 🟡 B Capable (High Capability, Low Commitment) “These folks deliver results but often disrespect time, people, or policies,” Arjun warned. “Step 1: Give credit. Stroke their ego a little — they need it. Step 2: Challenge them. Tell them exactly what’s stopping them from leadership roles.” He looked directly at the Sales Head. “They want recognition. Show them what they’re missing by not committing. That ego will push them to grow — or they’ll walk away. Either is progress.” Credit: Rajiv Talreja

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Marico Limited, one of India's leading consumer goods companies in the beauty and wellness segment, has announced the appointment of Sonal Khatri as the Head - Rewards, Talent & HRIT. In her new leadership role, Sonal will drive the strategic design and execution of total rewards, talent development, and HR technology initiatives to strengthen Marico's people ecosystem in line with its growth and innovation agenda. 👉Read More: https://lnkd.in/gNmrqXdc #sonalkhatri #marico #maricolimited #head #reward #talent #hr #it #hrmanagement #humanresources #fmcg #consumerproducts #leader #leadershipannouncement

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