Musings From Deepak @ DSG Consumer Partners #107

April 24, 2023

All things consumer & insurgent brands. What I am currently reading, thinking about, and reflecting upon. You can follow me on Twitter at @dishahdadpuri or follow DSGCP at @dsgcp.

No one playbook on how CPG giants interact with insurgent brands

IMHO the debate is not about direct-to-consumer ("D2C") brands but the broader emergence of insurgent brands, irrespective of whether they are D2C or distributed via traditional sales channels. Data from Bain & Co shows that CPG giants how lost material market shares to new brands that have been around for less than a decade.

Why Are FMCG Giants Adding D2C To Its Cart? | Entrepreneur

According to a Mordor Intelligence report, the total addressable D2C market in India is forecast to hit $100 billion by 2025. The opportunity is so lucrative that traditional FMCG companies such as Dabur, ITC, Marico, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting, Parle Agro are trying their luck in the space either by acquisitions or starting their own digital first brands

L’Oréal make strategic investment in DSG Consumer Partners IV

We are excited to welcome L’Oréal as an investor in our ecosystem, and partner in our mission to invigorate the region’s industry disruptors and most promising beauty and personal care startups.

L’Oréal invests in consumer-focused VC fund DSG Consumer Partners

LOréal said that the investment in DSGs fourth fund would be strategic in nature and that it would invest in beauty and personal care startups across India and Southeast Asia. The VC firms fourth fund will reportedly be around $125 million in size.

Kind Kones on the latest episode of the Epic Angels Investor Talk podcast

Listen to Serina & Ishpal Bajaj, founders of DSG Consumer Partners portfolio company Kind Kones, speak to Maaike Doyer on the latest episode of Epic Angels #InvestorTalk podcast. Learn about how the company started and its journey from making ice cream at home in Kuala Lumpur to launching into Singapore's largest supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice, after a successful pilot with premium supermarket chain Little Farms.

Kind Kones - Ishpal Bajaj and Serina Bajaj

Listen to this episode from Investor Talk on Spotify. Listen to the story of Ishpal and Serina from Kind Kones. Headquartered in Singapore, Kind Kones is more than an ice-cream company — it's a movement for kindness, inclusivity, and joy. It is Southeast Asia’s leading plant-based dessert brand. Guided by the philosophy of "being kind," their message is clear - "Be kind to your body, the environment, and to others." Indulge in vegan, gluten-free, and guilt-free desserts (ice-cream, cakes, and cookies!) and say goodbye to all refined sugar and artificial additives.At publication of this episode, Kind Kones is actively raising funds. Angel investors Aishwarya Narayanan and Anisha Rakyan join the Investor Talk at the end of this podcast.Hosted by Maaike Doyer, founder of Epic Angels.

Sula continues to grow strongly driven by its own brand sales and premium products

Sula registered an upside of 15% in own brands sales to ₹104.3 Crs during the March quarter compared to ₹90.7 Crs in the corresponding quarter last fiscal 2021-22. It also registered its highest growth in wine tourism during the 4th quarter; with a 30% jump, and that too without the annual Sula Fest, held traditionally during the first weekend of February. The Covid-19 pandemic hit the segment badly for a short time but bounced back equally fast.

Sula Vineyards own brand sales up 15% at ₹104.3 cr, wine tourism biz up 18%

Sula Vineyards' own brands sales volumes crossed 1 million cases, with Elite & Premium wines surging past the 5 lakh case mark for the first time.

How Nestle is using AI for consumer insights and NPD

Very interesting.  I would love to get into the details and learn how AI is helping companies like Nestle propose a basket of products targeted to stores in different neighborhoods based on AI insights.

Nestle Rolls Out Indian Unit’s AI Model in World Markets: CEO

Swiss foods maker Nestle SAs global chief executive Mark Schneider said adoption of AI (artificial intelligence) by its India unit is now being taken to world markets and that it has led to customising consumer choices and planning new launches.

Lucky Saint: An interesting case study of an insurgent brand in the making

I first tried Lucky Saint in a pub in London in 2020 and was impressed by the quality of their zero-alcohol lager. Over the last 3 years, the brand has grown from strength to strength and recently raised funding from my friends at Jam Jar, a consumer-focused VC fund. Given my frequent visits to London, I have seen the growth of the brand on and off-premise and the overall change in drinking habits in the UK. Some of these lessons will be very useful as we look at this category in Southeast Asia and India.

Lucky Saint: ‘we want to be to alcohol-free what Guinness is to stout’

The Lucky Saint's pub is all about promoting the booze-free brand. Over a pint, its founder and MD discuss their plans

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