Consumption in India is changing across different consumer cohorts: Kunal Sharma, KRBL

At the e4m India Brand Conclave 2026 in Mumbai, a standout session explored how legacy brands are reinventing themselves in a fast-changing market. Titled “Rooted. Reignited. Reimagined.”, it offered a look through three lenses at the strategies that keep brands relevant in today’s competitive landscape. In a candid discussion, Kunal Sharma, Vice President of Marketing and Organized Trade at KRBL (India Gate Basmati Rice), shared his insights on preserving heritage while embracing modernity.

KRBL Limited has over 130 years of experience and is best known for its flagship brand, India Gate. The company focuses on producing and selling rice products, and over the years, India Gate Basmati Rice has become a household name in India while enjoying strong demand in global markets. Setting the tone for the session, Sharma acknowledged the complexity of the task ahead. “The challenge isn’t just staying relevant, it’s knowing how to honour the roots while reimagining the future,” he said, framing the philosophy behind India Gate’s evolution. His session explored how timeless brands can refresh their voice, renew engagement, and remain meaningful in what he described as “the age of acceleration.”

A Brand That Must Evolve With India

For a brand that literally carries the country in its name, the responsibility is even greater. Kunal reflected on this internal question: “A brand like India Gate, which has India in its name… how does that Indian brand evolve with an evolving India?” According to him, the answer lies in understanding how the country itself is changing. He outlined three major vectors shaping modern India: consumption, aspirations, and formats.

“Consumption of India is changing… across different demographic segments, across different cohorts of consumers,” he explained. Alongside this, aspirations are shifting, with consumers increasingly drawn to brands that reflect their values. “Today consumers are more conscious and connect better with brands which are giving back to the environment.” The third shift comes from retail and usage formats. “All of us know how quick commerce has disrupted the Indian retail landscape today,” Sharma noted, pointing out how distribution and buying behaviour are evolving at unprecedented speed.

Rooted in Values

Despite these changes, India Gate’s foundation remains unchanged. Kunal emphasised that being “rooted” is not a nostalgic exercise, but a strategic one. “We say that we are rooted in our values. So our value systems will never change,” he said.

For a food brand, this insight translated into a deeper emotional truth: food is a carrier of culture and values across generations. “Food is not just about what you’re eating on the plate. Food brings people together,” he shared, adding that India Gate’s communication aims to celebrate the Indian values that are often passed down around the dining table. Recalling a personal memory, Sharma said, “When I was growing up as a kid in the 90s… My grandma used to say one thing: make sure that whatever is on the plate is finished. This is an Indian value.” Such everyday lessons, he explained, form the emotional territory the brand now consciously owns. “Imagine a brand talking to you about these Indian values, everybody will connect with this,” he added, underlining the universality of these cultural touchpoints.

Reimagined Through Design

While values remain constant, expression must evolve. The second pillar of India Gate’s transformation is reimagining the brand through design and packaging. Kunal highlighted a key category challenge: “While Basmati Rice holds deep emotional and cultural significance, it was still… being navigated largely, purely from a price point perspective.” This meant consumers were often making decisions without fully understanding product differences.

To address this, the brand undertook a major visual overhaul after nearly two decades. “A legacy brand changed itself after 20 years,” he said, referring to updates in the logo, typography and overall packaging system. “Bolder fonts, neater fonts, clearer fonts. Purely from the understanding of consumers of how they see a brand.” Modern illustrations and clearer communication cues were introduced to make the brand feel more contemporary while also helping consumers make more informed choices on shelf. “So, while we stay rooted in values, we reinvent ourselves through packaging,” Sharma summarised.

Reignited Through Innovation

The final pillar reignition focuses on innovation as a growth engine. Kunal warned that legacy brands often risk complacency. “There is always the propensity of brands of this stature to get into complacency. That’s where re-ignition plays a critical role,” he said.

He described three routes to reignition: relevance, empowerment and resonance. One key example of relevance in action was the launch of a health-forward sub-brand. “We as a brand stood for taste and trust and legacy, but didn’t have those credentials in health,” he admitted. To address this gap, KRBL introduced India Gate Uplife. “For a younger emerging India that is conscious about their health,” he said, explaining how the new line extends the trust of India Gate into health-oriented categories.

Innovation didn’t stop at brand architecture. The company also tackled practical consumer pain points. “When consumers use oil in the kitchen, there is a problem on the usage front. There's a lot of spillage and how do I control the flow?” Sharma noted. The solution: a squeezable, controlled-dispense pack designed for modern kitchens.

Expanding Beyond Rice

India Gate has also extended into adjacent categories aligned with evolving lifestyles. Kunal pointed to the rising demand for convenient yet fresh meal solutions. “Ready-to-cook already is a five times market versus a ready-to-heat market in India today,” he said, explaining that consumers prefer formats where they still feel involved in the cooking process. This insight led to the launch of ready-to-cook biryani spice mixes, leveraging the brand’s strong association with rice. “We innovated from being only a rice brand, extending the equity of our strength in rice into a format which is needed for the newer evolving India,” he explained.

In closing, Kunal brought the journey back to its core philosophy. “This is the framework that we live by today this is how we are staying rooted, reimagining, yet reigniting ourselves for the future,” he said. For India Gate, the path forward is not about choosing between tradition and transformation  it is about making both work together, ensuring that a brand born in the past continues to have a meaningful place on the plates of the future.