ITC Foods' Suresh Chand urges marketers to build brands that are distinctive & memorable

At the Pitch CMO Summit 2025, Suresh Chand, Vice President of Marketing and Executive Committee Member (Snacks, Noodles & Pasta) at ITC Foods Ltd., took the spotlight in a fireside chat with Dev Batra, CEO and Chief Culture Guardian at Lyxel&Flamingo. In the wide-ranging conversation, Chand unpacked the brand’s journey of building Indian food brands that stand tall against global giants. From decoding consumer trends to using AI smartly in brand building, his insights offered a masterclass in modern FMCG marketing.

Chand opened the session by setting context for ITC’s food journey, an ambitious pivot from its core cigarette business to a challenger in India’s competitive FMCG landscape. “We are only 20 years young… we are a startup in foods,” he said. He highlighted ITC’s mission to build truly Indian brands that can thrive in both national and international markets. Reflecting on his own 17-year journey across multiple business categories within ITC, he underscored how the company’s ethos of “growing categories, not just market share” has been central to its growth strategy.

One of the most insightful portions of the session came when Chand discussed how ITC distinguishes between fleeting fads and enduring consumer trends. He emphasized the need for precision in what to act on versus what to merely observe. He said, “Some of the fads actually are much sharper in terms of acceleration. And the trend has a long gestation time. ITC uses proprietary analytics models to track the evolution of consumer behavior and filter signals from noise, ensuring timely, relevant innovations without chasing every passing hype.

Touching on the ongoing debate between brand-building and performance marketing, Chand reaffirmed the critical role of the top funnel in categories driven by frequent and spontaneous purchases. “Since we are dealing with a lot of repertoire purchases… still a large part will be played by top funnel,” he stated. While acknowledging the efficiencies of performance campaigns, he emphasized that in the FMCG world, long-term brand equity remains irreplaceable.

On the subject of artificial intelligence, Chand offered a refreshingly balanced view. “AI is a tool,” he said, “that helps us in efficiency for sure. ITC is already deploying AI across stages: from briefing and concept generation to hyper-personalized segmentation using behavioral data. However, AI doesn’t replace brand building’s core. It does not take away a lot of things in terms of either consumer understanding, brand building, or art and craft.”

Wrapping up the conversation, Chand left the audience with a clear message about the power of focus and consistency. “You need to define your sharp point of view, and you need to stick with it. In a crowded market, brands cannot afford to dilute themselves by trying to be everything to everyone. Don’t try to be a jack of all trades,” he cautioned, urging marketers to build brands that stand for something distinctive and memorable.