Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, two of the wealthiest people in India, are about to engage in a titanic battle for control of that nation's large consumer products market. Despite the fact that the two have long been vying for the top spot on the wealthy list, this will be the first time their paths will meet in the area of company development.
Ambani's Reliance has entered the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market with the launch of its Independence brand, competing aggressively with Adani's consumer-facing Adani Wilmar (AWL).
Reliance's initiative includes almost all significant F&B categories, including branded rice, biscuits, and bottled water in addition to wheat flour, crystalline sugar, besan, and toor dal. Analysts, however, predict that its competition with AWL, in addition to another business behemoth like the Tata Group, will be more fierce given the makeup of its freshly launched portfolio.
Although Ambani's Reliance has also targeted that market, AWL has long held the top spot for packaged edible oil. Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has introduced numerous edible oil products, including groundnut oil and sunflower oil, in addition to branded cereals and pulses. As of September, AWL controlled over a fifth (19.5%) of the Rs 200,000 crore branded edible oil industry in India.
Adani's recent advances in the packaged kitchen goods industry have intensified the conflict. The company that has long held the top spot in the edible oil market has quickly increased its market share in branded rice, wheat flour, and sugar. The company has been expanding its retail reach in order to take up more shelf space.
According to research by Ventura Securities, AWL's food and FMCG division is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 31% to reach Rs 4,340 crore in revenue by 2025, as opposed to industry essentials' growth of 12.2% and edible oils' growth of 14.3%.