General Mills looks to double its growth in India

US food giant General Mills is expecting to double its growth in the Indian market in the next few years. To achieve this, the company has been eyeing the Indian snacks market.

“We are expecting 2018 to be a watershed year for us. We have been registering significant growth in the Indian market, but hope to record exponential growth in the next few years,” says Mumbai-based Salil Murthy, Country Head, General Mills India.

On being asked on the estimated growth that he expects, Murthy explains that since they are not a listed company in India, he can’t share the numbers. “But we will double the growth in the next few years,” he says.

He explains that the company is planning to get several global product technologies and capabilities to the Indian market to expand in the country.

“We have launched Pillsbury Cookie Cakes and Pillsbury Pastry Cakes nationally. This month we will be launching a new product called Pillsbury Lava Cake. We are focusing on the snacks market because this is where our expertise lies,” he says. He adds that he is also working on expanding the company’s distribution network across the country.

The company also plans to ramp up its marketing spends, focusing on advertising and promotion, and be present at every relevant touch point to connect better with consumers.

The 38-year-old chief of the food major is credited for transforming the business and organisation for General Mills India from a commodity-focused atta (flour) business to a snacking-focused foods player while tripling the growth rate, making it one of the fastest-growing foods businesses in India.

Murthy has successfully diversified the portfolio of the brand by launching new products such as Pillsbury cookies and cakes and leveraged the Pillsbury umbrella brand to develop a new mega-brand strategy for the company. “India remains a core market for General Mills global and we have some exciting plans for the Indian market,” he says.