Fortune India Exchange is in conversation with Mr. Namit Bajoria Managing Director, Kutchina Home Makers Pvt. Ltd.

Q. How big is the overall kitchen appliances market in India? At what rate is it growing?

Overall, the Kitchen appliances market in India is estimated at INR 24,500 Cr in 2021 of which 45%-50% is contributed by large kitchen appliances. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12-14% largely driven by the high growth in the large kitchen appliances segment.

Q. Who all are the key players in this field?

Multiple segments are present along with its leader in each category. The entire gamut of Kitchen appliances is divided into big, small and modular kitchens However, we provide complete kitchen solutions and we have presence in each of the segments. There is no other brand like ‘us’, who caters to all the segments.

Q. What is Kutchina’s current market share?

We’re the current market leader in the East with 58%. Nationally, we’re at 15%.

Q. What about your plans to tap the neighbouring markets of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka?

We’re already present in Nepal and we have two stores there already. We already manufacture modular kitchens in India. We’re having some ambitious plans and currently coming up with our manufacturing unit at Kalyani Expressway, near Kolkata and it is nearing completion. Once the first phase is complete early next year, our dependency on imports will come down and then we hope to start our outreach to neighbouring countries.

Q. You mostly procure your products manufactured by different OEMs in and outside the country. But to my knowledge, you were also keen on responding positively to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and start your full-scale manufacturing in India. Any progress on that front?

Yes, buoyed by our ‘Make in India initiative’, we’re coming up with our own manufacturing unit, which will support full scale independent manufacturing. The first phase is due for completion early next year.

Q. How many outlets do you have? What is your retail expansion plans? How many dealers-distributors do you have?

We have around 80+ outlets along with experiential Kutchina galleries and we also have presence in different retail formats. We plan to make it to 100+ stores this fiscal.

Currently, we’re having around 300+ distributors and 4000+ dealers spread all over the country.

Q. Do you have plans to get into tier-II, tier-III cities as well? How much of your business comes from these towns as of now?

We have strong presence in Tier –II and tier III cities already. We ‘have noticed surge in demand from these cities as well’. We’re fortifying our territory in these cities by increasing our company-led outlets. It’s difficult to quantify the demand from the aforesaid segment but demand is very strong as people are pushed for time and everybody needs to work out on work-life balance with appliances that saves time and helps in cooking varied types of delicacies

Q. How is your small appliances business doing? Is it growing?

Yes, we have strong demands for small appliances. Our brand is an established one and we’re experiencing roughly around 40% rise in growth.

Q. Any plans for brand extensions or roll out of sub-brands?

Yes, we’re considering many diverse segments. Wardrobes, we have introduced early this year and it is doing reasonably good.

Q. What is the break-up of your institutional sales and domestic/household sales? Would this proportion continue, going forward?

Currently, institutional sales contribute to 10% and domestic/ household contributing 80% to our total sales. We hope to increase institutional sales in the current fiscal.

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Namit Bajoria

Kutchina to tap neighboring markets with its own manufacturing plant