THE PROBLEM

A ₹2,000 Cr+ legacy snacks brand dominated its home region but couldn't crack a large neighbouring market. It was spending ₹10 Cr a year on media there with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, other regional players were taking share at home.

Management kept running the home-state playbook in the new market. Heavy media. Traditional namkeen codes. Large packs. None of it landed.

THE INSIGHT

The brand was trying to scale a core market playbook into a market where it had zero mental availability. At home, everyone knew the brand. In the new markets, no one cared.

The category codes that worked at home (traditional, regional, family-size packs) meant nothing in new markets. The brand needed a unique everyday household utility positioning, not louder versions of what already wasn't working.

Large unit packs assumed established brand loyalty. But consumers weren't loyal yet. They needed trial-size packs to even consider switching.

THE WORK

Our recommendations, built from market immersion and category data.

Pause new-market media until the product and price were right. Every rupee was going into a black hole.

Reposition the brand around everyday delight through namkeen. Not a regional specialty. Not a celebration food. An everyday household staple.

Rebuild the price-pack architecture around low-price trial packs, so new households could try the brand without commitment.

Rework general trade margins so distributors had a reason to push the new packs, and redesign beat plans and priorities for the new-market sales team around them.

THE OUTCOME

Once management acted on the plan, new-market offtake rose 34% in six months. Household penetration in pilot towns doubled, from 14% to 28%.

The home market stopped bleeding share because management attention returned with a clear growth strategy.