Bikaji banks on international presence and high-visibility partnerships for festive push

The Indian packaged snacks market is a dynamic and fiercely competitive battleground. For legacy brands like Bikaji Foods International, navigating this landscape requires a sophisticated strategy that goes beyond taste and tradition. With the high-stakes festivals approaching, often a litmus test for the entire FMCG sector, the company is mobilising a plan that addresses the industry's most pressing challenges: retaining a loyal, ageing customer base while capturing the burgeoning, digitally-native youth demographic; and defending its dominance in traditional retail while mastering the fast-growing channels of e-commerce and quick-commerce.

This complex balancing act falls to the company's marketing leadership, which must ensure Bikaji is perceived as both a nostalgic comfort and a modern, convenient choice. To understand the strategic thinking behind this approach, we received insights from Neha Rao, VP of Marketing at Bikaji Foods International Limited, on how the brand is preparing for this pivotal period and beyond.

The festive battleground

For Bikaji, the festive quarter is less a seasonal event and more a full-scale commercial mobilisation. The company's strategy is designed to maximise reach and relevance across diverse consumer segments, from individual households to large corporations. Rao frames the period as one of intense, integrated activity.

"The festive quarter comes with an interesting mix of product offerings and an intense marketing push," she reports. This push is multifaceted, aimed at creating broad-based excitement. The plan encompasses everything "from mass gifting to customised options for corporates," signalling an effort to capture every tier of the festive spending pyramid. According to Rao, the immediate focus is on a series of targeted initiatives: "For the next few months, Bikaji is gearing up for topical campaigns with consumer offers and regional campaigns."

Navigating the generational divide

The brand’s marketing efforts are carefully calibrated to relate with two distinct, and often divergent, consumer profiles. For its established older audience, the messaging is rooted in heritage, authenticity, and trust, values powerfully embodied by its long-standing brand ambassador.

"Bikaji’s marketing efforts strike a balance between tradition and modernity," Rao states. "In 2023, we launched a brand campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan, promoting a range of our products and categories, which was highly successful and well-received by the audience." This association reinforces the brand's equity with a demographic that values consistency and credibility.

In sharp contrast, engaging younger consumers requires a playbook centred on digital interaction, relevance, and value-driven promotions. Rao points to a series of digital-first campaigns and tech-integrated offers. "In 2024, we introduced our first-ever consumer offer, Bikaji Khao London Jao, which generated significant engagement from loyal customers while also attracting new trials," she notes, citing a recent "100% cashback offer in collaboration with Paytm" as the latest example of using fintech partnerships to drive youth engagement and product trials.

Balancing brick-and-mortar with digital carts

Reaching these diverse demographics requires an equally focused channel strategy. Rao maintains a pragmatic view of India's retail landscape, emphasising that despite the meteoric rise of e-commerce, traditional trade remains the company's backbone.

"In India, and particularly in the snacking category, offline or general trade continues to be the largest channel and will remain so for many years," she asserts, acknowledging that modern trade and institutional sales are also significant contributors.

While the digital channel's overall revenue contribution is still maturing, its growth trajectory makes it a strategic priority. "For us, the quick-commerce and e-commerce channel has seen strong growth in the previous fiscal year, though its overall contribution to the business is still relatively small," Rao reports. This reality has led to a dual-pronged operational focus. The company's mandate is "to stay strong in our core — traditional general trade — while at the same time building a robust digital presence to ensure visibility and competitiveness on the 'digital shelf.'"

Innovation as a vehicle for future growth

While defending its core market, Bikaji is simultaneously laying the groundwork for future growth by expanding its product portfolio and geographic footprint. This strategy is focused on tapping into new consumer trends, including the growing demand for healthier snacking alternatives.

A key component of their strategy is international expansion through strategic alliances. She reveals a significant development: "Bikaji has entered into a Joint Venture and Shareholders Agreement with C.G. Foods Nepal Ltd. to jointly establish and operate a company in Nepal." This venture is a vehicle for both geographic diversification and product line extension, intended to "accelerate innovation, and achieve shared business objectives while addressing the evolving tastes of consumers across markets."

Defining the competitive moat

In a marketplace dominated by both domestic players and multinational brands, Bikaji is positioning itself around a blend of cultural authenticity and global aspiration. According to the company’s leadership, this positioning is being articulated through a mix of endorsements, digital campaigns, and strategic partnerships.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan serves as the face of the brand, providing what the company describes as “credibility and cross-generational trust.” At the same time, digital-first campaigns and upcoming movie collaborations are being deployed to ensure contemporary relevance, particularly during the festive season.

Bikaji’s international footprint is also being highlighted as a key differentiator. The presence of its products on shelves at retailers such as Costco in the United States and Walmart in Canada is seen internally as validation of its ability to take Indian flavours to global markets. The company believes this global recognition feeds back into domestic aspiration, reinforcing its stature in India.

Looking ahead, Bikaji has indicated that it will continue to invest in high-visibility partnerships, including film tie-ins during the festive period, to sustain and grow its brand salience.