Tefal banking on premiumisation trend, expands India presence amid market saturation

French consumer appliances brand Tefal is doubling down on India’s growing appetite for premium home appliances, with an aggressive expansion strategy focused on product diversification, wider retail presence, and localisation. Groupe SEB, which owns Tefal and India’s Maharaja Whiteline, is looking to capitalise on rising consumer aspirations by positioning Tefal firmly in the mid-to-premium segment of a market it says is ripe for an upgrade.

“Indian consumers are upgrading. They want better technology, better performance, and appliances that reflect their social status,” says Ashish Kakkar, CEO, Groupe SEB India. “We see a clear trend of premiumisation, and Tefal is poised to tap into that.”

Currently, 70–80% of Tefal’s revenue in India comes from cookware. But the company is shifting focus. Over the next few years, it expects cookware to contribute just 40%, while 40% will come from food preparation appliances such as mixer grinders and juicer mixer grinders (JMGs)—a segment where Tefal has made recent inroads. The remaining 20% will come from categories like linen care, floor care, and electric pressure cookers.

Tefal is among the few brands with an in-house motor manufacturing facility, a major cost component—roughly 30–35%—of mixer grinders. This gives the company a competitive edge in controlling quality and pricing.

The company estimates the Indian home appliances market at around ₹40,000 crore, growing annually at 8–10%. While India contributes just 20% of Groupe SEB’s India revenue via Tefal today, with Maharaja accounting for the remaining 80%, the goal is to flip this ratio. “In two to three years, we want Tefal to contribute 50–60% of India revenue,” Kakkar shares.

To do that, Groupe SEB is significantly expanding Tefal’s footprint. From a current network of 4,000 retailers and 100 distributors, the company aims to grow to 10,000 retailers and 300 distributors. “We’re not just expanding in metros. We see demand in tier 1 and tier 2 towns as well,” he adds.

Interestingly, this push comes at a time when the mixer grinder category, one of Tefal’s new focus areas, is already saturated. “Every kitchen has a mixer grinder. But people are upgrading,” says Kakkar. “Our strategy is to offer differentiated technology and value.” For instance, Tefal’s Powerlix blade design enables faster, more efficient blending, and its cookware uses a Thermo-Signal technology for even cooking.

Despite the market’s crowded nature, Groupe SEB believes that differentiation and consumer education will drive conversion. “If you can explain the features and demonstrate the value, Indian consumers are willing to pay,” Kakkar says. “But if you just slap a premium price without a story or benefit, they won’t.”

Tefal’s products are priced significantly above those of Maharaja, with a clear positioning difference. While Maharaja operates at the entry level (quartile one), Tefal occupies quartile three—the premium segment. “Where Maharaja might have a product at ₹2,000, Tefal’s version won’t start below ₹3,000,” he explains.

Online channels are playing a growing role in this expansion. Currently, 30% of sales come from e-commerce, a share the company expects to grow to 35% in three years. “E-commerce and quick commerce are growing faster than traditional channels for us,” says Kakkar. “We’re seeing a strong response even on platforms like Blinkit.”

To support its ambitions, Groupe SEB is investing “a few million euros” over the next two to three years across product development, manufacturing, retail expansion, and digital marketing. The company’s manufacturing facility in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, now makes mixer grinders and JMGs locally, with plans to expand to more categories depending on demand and regulatory changes.

While exact revenue targets remain undisclosed, Kakkar says the company is eyeing multifold growth for Tefal over the next 2–3 years. Meanwhile, Maharaja will continue to grow at market pace—8–10% annually—ensuring that Tefal’s outpaced growth helps it eventually overtake Maharaja in revenue contribution.

“We’ve developed India-specific products, like mixer grinders with three jars and chutney capabilities, and even exported the first batch to the Middle East, targeting the Indian diaspora,” says Kakkar.

Still, the road to scale won’t be easy. “Indian consumers are demanding. They expect value, quality, service and innovation—constantly,” he adds. To meet this, the company has invested in robust after-sales service, with 90% of complaints resolved within 48 hours.

“We’re not chasing numbers,” says Kakkar, “we’re building a long-term business.”