India Emerges as Top Growth Market for Global Consumer Goods Giants

Executives from global consumer goods companies such as Coca-Cola, Mondelez, Unilever, and Reckitt Benckiser see India as a key long-term growth market. They cited resilient demand, premiumization, and wider distribution as drivers of growth in the domestic market.

Coca-Cola CEO Henrique Braun stated that India is 'a long-term game' for the beverage maker, highlighting its seven top brands in the country, including four global brands and three local brands acquired by the company.

Reckitt also sees India as a strong growth market, with CFO Shannon Eisenhardt noting the company's execution capabilities in the country. Reckitt has delivered high single-digit to low double-digit growth in India, driven by its broad-based expansion efforts.

Mondelez International's Amit Banati emphasized the potential for multi-year growth in the country's chocolate market, citing premiumization as a key trend. The company is investing in quick commerce channels and has significant headroom for growth through its distribution network.

Unilever CEO Fernando Fernández highlighted India as one of two markets where the company is allocating capital for acquisitions, alongside the US. He noted that Hindustan Unilever has mapped 250,000 influencers in the country and sees significant expansion potential in per-capita consumption over the next five years.