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Food, Fitness, & Fiscal Policy: Three Windows Into India’s Changing Economy
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Good Morning. Today’s edition is an impactful one — and it comes with lessons from one of India’s most seasoned consumer leaders.
India’s economy is in flux — and you can see it everywhere, from the kitchen to the checkout counter. Nestlé’s Suresh Narayanan reflects on shifting consumer habits, the supplement industry is booming with gummies and multivitamin ice creams, and debates around India’s broken tax system raise hard questions about growth. Together, they capture a nation rethinking how it eats, spends, and scales.
WEEKEND EDITION
Maggi, Markets & Millennials: Lessons From Nestlé’s Outgoing Chief
When Suresh Narayanan took charge of Nestlé India in 2015, the company was battling its biggest crisis yet — the Maggi ban. Nearly a decade later, Maggi has bounced back to selling nearly 400,000 tonnes annually, Nestlé has doubled down on coffee and dairy, and Narayanan is reflecting on how Indian consumers have transformed.
In this conversation, he breaks down:
GST 2.0’s impact on your wallet: Why lower tax rates on essentials could finally bring back some “zip” in consumption.
The shifting Indian consumer: From battling food inflation and high rents to embracing premiumization and global tastes.
Maggi’s big comeback: How a brand can fall from 70% market share to zero — and still reclaim leadership.
The rise of Gen Z & Gen Alpha consumers: Why legacy brands can’t rest on nostalgia and must speak the language of the “here and now.”
Marketing in the AI era: Why Narayanan still trusts instinct and curiosity as much as algorithms.
Lessons for young brand managers: Understand before being understood, be the consumer’s champion, and never forget the path to profitability.
Bottom line: From Maggi masala to Nescafé cappuccinos, Narayanan’s career maps the evolution of Indian consumption itself — a journey from limited choices to a fiercely competitive, digital-first market where relevance is everything.
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THE SIGNAL DAILY
Gummies, Powders, & Multivitamin Ice Creams: Inside India’s Supplement Boom
India’s supplement industry is on a high. Conservative estimates peg its growth at 11% CAGR, while some experts say it’s closer to 16–18%.
Supplements aren’t new — but the way they’re being sold definitely is. Forget boring pills. Today’s new-age brands are offering effervescent tablets, gummies, even multivitamin ice-creams — all wrapped in sleek packaging and pushed by a small army of influencers on social media.
But here’s the real question: Do you actually need them? And if yes, which ones are worth your money — and which are just hype in a jar?
In this podcast of The Signal Daily, we hear from consumers, doctors, and industry insiders on what’s driving this supplement craze — and whether it’s really the magic fix it claims to be.
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