Ratna Bhushan

PepsiCo India has appointed Nitin Bhandari as the new head of its beverages business, effective from March 31, 2025. He will succeed George Kovoor, who is retiring to pursue other interests. This change comes amidst intense competition in the soft drinks market, with significant developments in the bottling partnerships of both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in India.

Companies are spending 70% of their marketing budgets on the Kumbh Mela, focusing on six holy dips. They are using digital innovation, social media, and influencer collaborations to engage with the mass gathering of pilgrims. Businesses aim to gain visibility and reach tier 2 and 3 city consumers, as well as international visitors.

PepsiCo has recently entered negotiations for a minority stake in Haldiram Snacks Food, competing with contenders Temasek and Alpha Wave Global. The Aggarwal family, seeking their first external investment, expects a valuation of Rs 85,000-90,000 crore. PepsiCo aims to leverage Haldiram's market strength in ethnic snacks.

A unique proposal by Delhi government corporations to introduce a fixed quota-based liquor stocking policy has faced objections from mid-sized spirits companies. The policy favors large multinational companies and assigns quotas based on national sales data, potentially sidelining local and startup brands in the competitive market.

From Eveready torches to luxury tents, and from ash-smeared sadhus to Instagram-worthy holy dips, a spiritual extravaganza like no other, where over 400 million devotees, brands, and marketers converge in Prayagraj. They discover how spirituality is shaping India’s consumer culture. With record-breaking revenues and global attention, the Maha Kumbh has become the Super Bowl of India for marketers. Host Ratna Bhushan Talks to Shuvadip Banerjee, Chief digital marketing officer, foods division, ITC, Sandeep Goyal, Chairman, Rediffusion and Anirban Chowdhury talks to Manan Bajoria, vice president, growth marketing at travel portal Ixigo.

E-commerce platform Amazon has roped in regional and national influencers to post 'experiences' of its box beds for devotees at Kumbh, which it has placed in Prayagraj, while ITC is collaborating with regional Instagram influencers for Bingo snacks. The soaps-to-staples maker is collaborating with influencers popular among audiences in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, to create relevant content. Coca-Cola, which is launching 'Maha Kumbh special edition packs' for some of its beverages, putting up hydration carts and food court activation at the mega religious event, too is collaborating with influencers.

PepsiCo and Tata Consumer Products have teamed up to develop and sell packaged snacks, integrating PepsiCo's Kurkure brand with Tata's Ching's Secret. This collaboration aims to compete in the fiercely growing Indian snacks market, which is projected to reach ₹95,521.8 crore by 2032.

Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) is set to acquire SIL, a packaged foods brand known for products like cooking pastes, jams, and sauces. The acquisition will enable RCPL to expand its national distribution and compete with major players such as HUL and Tata Consumer. RCPL aims to offer competitively priced products and enhance trade margins for retailers.

Major packaged goods companies such as ITC, Nestle, Amul, Dabur, and Marico are expanding their ecommerce platforms to multiple cities, offering up to 30% discounts. This strategic move aims to recruit new customers, introduce subscription models, and stock their entire product portfolios, which isnt feasible on other ecommerce platforms.

Brands are leveraging live concerts with high-profile marketing campaigns, including promotions and audience giveaways, to increase visibility. Associations with global and Indian music icons drive immediate engagement and brand recall, although long-term impacts on sales remain uncertain. Despite the buzz, issues with infrastructure and crowd management challenge the concert experience.