The world of consumer brands is changing fast, and India is at the heart of this transformation. What worked a decade ago—finding a successful product, scaling it, and reaping the rewards for years—is no longer enough. At Ground Zero 10, Redseer’s flagship event, a distinguished panel came together to explore what it takes to win in the evolving landscape of consumer brands Winning Strategies for Consumer Brands in the Next Decade. 

Moderated by Jivraj Singh Sachar, Founder and General Partner, Indian Silicon Valley Capital, the discussion brought together three leading voices in the industry: 

• Ankit Nagori, Internet Entrepreneur & Investor, Curefoods 

• Dipanjan Basu, Co-Founder and Partner, Fireside Ventures 

• Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Co-Founder, Wakefit 

Their conversation uncovered the strategies that are defining success for brands today—whether it’s scaling through omnichannel expansion, continuously innovating to prevent stagnation, or finding new ways to engage India’s next generation of consumers. 

Scaling Beyond Product-Market Fit 

India is a paradox—it is both a deep and a shallow market. While there is immense demand across categories, achieving product-market fit is no longer a ticket to long-term success. The days when brands could launch a winning product and ride on its popularity for years are gone. The new reality? Growth has to be deliberate, multi-dimensional, and fuelled by continuous reinvention. 

Chaitanya discussed how the expansion of Wakefit, which began as a mattress brand,  was never just about selling more mattresses. They looked at how they could become a permanent presence in consumers’ homes—first by moving into sleep solutions, then furniture, and now home décor and living. Their strategy? “To build trust in one category and then leverage that trust to introduce new products. It’s no longer about a single product but about building an ecosystem,” said he.  

For brands looking to scale, the three key levers remain: 

• Product expansion – Diversifying offerings while ensuring each new product resonates with the brand’s core value proposition. 

• Channel expansion – Understanding the strengths of online (exponential growth) and offline (trust and accessibility) and using both strategically. 

• Geographic expansion – Identifying which cities and regions are responding well, doubling down on high-potential markets, and constantly listening to consumers. 

In India, being purely online isn’t enough, and being only offline is a missed opportunity. The future is omnichannel, where digital enables rapid discovery and purchase, while offline builds brand affinity and customer retention. 

The Need for Speed and Agility 

If there’s one lesson consumer brands have learned, it’s that stagnation is the biggest risk, said Ankit Nagori. “To succeed in today’s dynamic consumer market, brands must embrace diversity—not just in their offerings but in the way they engage customers. Because ‘brand fatigue is real’, especially in categories like food, where consumers rarely stick to a single choice for long,” said Nagori. The solution? A multi-brand, multi-product strategy that ensures brands remain relevant, fresh, and exciting, explained he. 

For companies looking to scale, it’s no longer about betting everything on one brand. Instead, the most successful businesses develop multiple brands across different price points, catering to diverse consumer preferences. By continuously putting a variety of options in front of customers, brands increase their chances of success. “Even if only 40-50% of these new offerings resonate, that still means several successful brands driving growth,” said Nagori. 

The panellists emphasized that every business line must be treated as an experiment—a series of calculated bets, driven by consumer insights and data. Some will work, some won’t, but the brands that thrive are the ones that test, learn, and pivot quickly. 

Technology plays a critical role here—not just in digital marketing or e-commerce but across the entire supply chain and production process. Data science is being used on the production shop floor, helping brands improve material selection, optimize supply chains, and enhance product quality. For some, tech is the backbone of efficiency, making processes leaner and ensuring that innovations can scale rapidly. 

This ability to move fast and make decisions based on real-time insights is what separates market leaders from brands that fade away. 

Balancing Growth and Profitability: The IPO Perspective 

For early-stage startups, growth and profitability often pull in opposite directions. But for brands eyeing an IPO, the challenge is different—they need sustained, predictable growth. How do companies transition from being venture-backed disruptors to publicly traded businesses? 

The answer lies in financial discipline. The panelists cautioned against businesses that depend entirely on external capital for survival. Instead, they advised that risk capital should be used for expansion in areas where it cannot be funded organically. The best companies, they argued, are the ones that have balanced both growth and profitability from the start, rather than swinging dramatically between the two. 

This is why having the right founding team matters. The most successful brands did not align only with growth-at-all-costs investors, nor did they solely work with conservative backers focused only on profitability. Instead, they found investors who understood the need to strike a balance, ensuring they had the flexibility to scale while maintaining financial health.  

The Future of Consumer Brands: Where Are the Opportunities Lying? 

The next decade will see massive shifts in consumer behaviour, and brands that anticipate these trends will be the ones that dominate the market. Dipanjan identified several high-growth categories poised to shape India’s consumption landscape: 

• Gen Z-focused brands – With Gen Z expected to drive 50% of India’s consumption in the next five years, brands catering to their digital-first, experience-driven preferences will see massive growth. 

• Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) – Niche hair and skincare brands that tap into personalization and natural ingredients are on the rise. 

• Health and Fitness – From sports nutrition to kids’ wellness and active lifestyle products, this sector is set for an explosion. 

• Senior Care & Longevity – The rise of affluent aging consumers has created demand for premium healthcare, wellness, and lifestyle products tailored for them. 

• Rural Commerce – The transition from unbranded to branded products in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities presents a huge market opportunity for brands willing to invest in last-mile accessibility. 

With these shifts in mind, the panel’s final message was clear: India’s consumer market is full of opportunities, but success will belong to those who stay disciplined, focused, and relentlessly innovative. 

The next decade belongs to brands that understand that winning isn’t about a single big idea—but about a series of smart, well-executed strategies that come together to create something far bigger. 

Stay tuned for more such exciting discussions from our annual event.