Latest news with #Nirma
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Story of washing powder Nirma: Once worth Rs 17000 crore, ruled Indian market; Nirma sank due to just one mistake
Nirma brand story How did Nirma washing powder fail: If you are someone who was born in 1980s or even 1990s, you must have heard about the brand Nirma. Once a household name in India, Nirma washing powder brand rose to fame in the 1980s and 90s with its catchy 'Washing Powder Nirma' jingle and affordable pricing strategies. Founded by Karsanbhai Patel in the year 1969, the brand was named after his late daughter Nirupama. The affordable washing powder brand brand quickly became the first choice of housewives due to its washing effectiveness and unmatchable pricing. However, due to a mistake, the whole Rs 17,000 crore empire of Nirma washing powder came down crashing. How popular was Nirma washing powder? Once the most popular washing powder brand of India, Nirma captured nearly 60% of the detergent market at its peak by offering quality cleaning at low cost. When the company was at its peak, famous Bollywood actresses like Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Sridevi and Sonali Bendre were shown endorsing the product, which made it more and more popular across the homes of India. How did Nirma washing powder's market crash? The massive success of Karsanbhai Patel's Nirma brand was driven by smart strategies like a money-back guarantee, emotional advertising, and brand endorsements by Bollywood stars. However, due to the entry of multinational brands like Surf Excel, Ariel, and Tide by the late 1990s and 2000s with modern packaging, advanced stain-removal formulas, and aggressive marketing, Nirma's downfall started as it failed to innovate or upgrade its product range for the Indian households. One more reason that is given by experts about the fall of Nirma washing powder is the fact that while its competitors were introducing new product variants and better quality, the company stuck to its classic product, leading to its downfall and market share collapse.
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Beyond Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z: Why India needs its own generational framework
Written by Madhu Bhavaraju Millennials. Gen Z. Boomers. These tags have become so embedded in our vocabulary that we seldom question them. They're used in marketing decks, recruitment discussions, and even family WhatsApp debates. But their origins are distinctly American. The 'Boomers' emerged from post-WWII prosperity in the US. 'Gen X' from the disillusionment of the Cold War. 'Millennials' came of age during the tech boom. These markers are born from Western economic, social, and political events. US-based frameworks don't account for the complex social, economic and cultural factors that play out in India. An 80-year-old 'Boomer' in the US is very different from an 80-year-old in India. This is because India's story is different. It is a nation where the pace and nature of change defy imported frameworks. The same household often contains people born in different Indias — an Independence-era grandparent, a liberalisation-era parent, and a child who is fluent in the language of reels. We need a generational framework that reflects our own reality. One that is shaped by Independence and post-Independence idealism, by black-and-white Doordarshan and colour cable TV, by the 1991 liberalisation and the 2010s internet boom. A framework that captures India's own unique and eventful journey over the last 75 plus years. Here's an attempt to decode India through five homegrown generations: Defining trait: Scarcity mindset, frugality, nation-building This is the generation of Independence and Partition. Of handmade goods, ration lines, and radios. They witnessed wars, food shortages, and the slow churn of the socialist economy. Their icons were JRD Tata and MS Subbulakshmi. They placed immense value on institutions such as LIC or HMT — brands that stood for trust and self-reliance. For them, ownership meant pride. Travel was rare and mostly by rail. They taught us 'jugaad' — not as a hack, but as a necessity. Defining trait: Aspirational, but restrained This is the generation that grew up waiting: Waiting for milk, gas cylinders, scooters, jobs and opportunities. They were used to delayed gratification and their dreams often went unfulfilled. Icons ranged from Amitabh Bachchan to Rakesh Sharma. Brands like Nirma and Bata dominated consumption. Foreign travel meant migration out of India. This is the generation that taught us to 'study hard' so we could escape the system they were stuck in Defining trait: Dual identity, with one foot in old India, one in the new Cable TV, the cola wars, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan. This was the generation that saw India open up. This generation saw the first PCs and dial-up internet. They grew up on Doordarshan and graduated to MTV. They were the first to experience choice. They have a strong brand affinity and will pay for quality. Brands like Levi's, Coke, and Maruti became badges of identity. Travel behaviour slowly changed to budget airlines and international vacations. They were the first to see India go from scarcity to abundance and they remember both. Defining trait: Americanised, digital native, less baggage more choice This is the generation of smartphones, Instagram, and global exposure. They grew up with Facebook, and YouTube. Their icons are Virat Kohli, Elon Musk or Deepika Padukone. They value convenience over brand loyalty and experience over ownership. They travel to Insta-worthy places and stay in Airbnbs. They are India's first truly digital consumers but also the most distracted. Defining trait: Native internet fluency, cultural confidence They don't know a world without smartphones. They are growing up with ChatGPT tutors and influencers. The big cultural change is that their worldview is shaped by social media influencers. They don't just consume content, they create it. They expect brands to play by their rules. They will shape a future of creator-founded D2C (direct to customer)-first brands. Any strategy to connect with the people needs to account for cultural memory, not just age. A 40-year-old in India is not the same as a 40-year-old in the US. The reference points, anxieties, and aspirations are different. Policymakers designing pension plans or digital literacy schemes need to understand generational mindsets shaped by tough times, not purely income brackets. EdTech companies need to speak to parents or grandparents who fear technology and children who are digital natives. Consumer brands must evolve rapidly to catch up to internet native customers who will soon become primary decision makers with big spending capacity. India has seen major events from Independence to wars to socialism to economic stagnation to growth. At the level of the family unit, we have changed from large joint families to solo living within two generations. We've lived many lives in a single lifetime. We deserve to define those lives on our own terms and not borrowed ones. The writer is Founder – The Brand Ignition Co
India.com
07-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet 81-Year-Old Who Sold Detergent Door-to-Door On Bicycle, Took Rs 15,000 Loan, Now Leads Rs 23,000 Crore Firm — Know His Net Worth
photoDetails english 2912216 Updated:Jun 07, 2025, 07:31 AM IST Born in a Small Village 1 / 8 Karsanbhai Patel was born in 1945 in Ruppur, a small village in Gujarat. Raised in a financially constrained household, he understood the value of hard work early on. Despite limited resources, he was determined to build a better life. He pursued a in Chemistry and secured a modest government job—first as a lab assistant at New Cotton Mills and then at the Geology and Mining Department of Gujarat. From Government Job to Side Hustle 2 / 8 In 1969, Karsanbhai Patel began making detergent powder in his backyard, using a small loan of Rs 15,000. Before heading to his government job, he would sell handmade detergent packets door-to-door on his bicycle in Ahmedabad. Solving a Common Man's Problem 3 / 8 At that time, major detergent brands were priced beyond the reach of ordinary families. Patel saw this gap and formulated a low-cost yet effective alternative. He called it Nirma, named in memory of his late daughter, Nirupama. His pricing strategy — just Rs 13 per kg — struck a chord with middle-class households across India. From Backyard to Brand 4 / 8 Initially, Nirma was produced and packaged by hand in Patel's backyard. As word spread and demand grew, he took a small unit on rent to scale up production. His blend of quality, affordability, and trust made Nirma a household name. The simple, relatable packaging featuring the 'Nirma girl' helped solidify its identity. Advertising That Stuck With A Generation 5 / 8 Nirma's TV and radio jingles — 'Washing powder Nirma!' — became iconic across India. Its messaging appealed to homemakers and positioned the brand as both family-friendly and pocket-friendly. The combination of mass appeal and low price allowed Nirma to dominate even in rural markets. A Diversified FMCG Empire 6 / 8 By the 1990s, Nirma had expanded into soaps, beauty products, and other personal care items. It also became one of the world's largest producers of soda ash. Today, Nirma employs over 18,000 people and earns Rs 7,000 crore in annual revenue. The group's total turnover exceeds Rs 23,000 crore, with cement brand Nuvoco Vistas also under its belt. A Visionary Beyond Business 7 / 8 Patel didn't just stop at business. He founded the Nirma Education and Research Foundation (NERF) and Nirma University, which have become prestigious institutions in Gujarat. His contributions to business and education have earned him many accolades, including the Udyog Ratna Award (1990) and Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award (2006). Net Worth 8 / 8 As of June 2025, Karsanbhai Patel's net worth is estimated at 5.1 billion dollars (Rs 42,585 crore), as per Forbes. His journey from cycling with detergent packets to leading one of India's most recognizable consumer brands is a testament to grit, vision, and the spirit of Indian entrepreneurship.
Business Standard
30-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Nirma standalone net profit rises 76.33% in the March 2025 quarter
Sales decline 2.75% to Rs 1749.96 crore Net profit of Nirma rose 76.33% to Rs 284.88 crore in the quarter ended March 2025 as against Rs 161.56 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2024. Sales declined 2.75% to Rs 1749.96 crore in the quarter ended March 2025 as against Rs 1799.49 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2024. For the full year,net loss reported to Rs 2096.21 crore in the year ended March 2025 as against net profit of Rs 681.67 crore during the previous year ended March 2024. Sales declined 2.67% to Rs 7073.82 crore in the year ended March 2025 as against Rs 7267.66 crore during the previous year ended March 2024. Particulars Quarter Ended Year Ended Mar. 2025 Mar. 2024 % Var. Mar. 2025 Mar. 2024 % Var. Sales 1749.961799.49 -3 7073.827267.66 -3 OPM % 19.5715.38 - 18.5616.40 - PBDT 273.26304.92 -10 960.521204.53 -20 PBT 212.17238.68 -11 721.53938.92 -23 NP 284.88161.56 76 -2096.21681.67 PL
