Veeba's Tasty Pixel has joined the Rs 100 crore club: VRB founder Viraj Bahl

VRB, known for its popular sauce brand Veeba, now has another brand in the 100 crore club. Their brand Tasty Pixel has crossed Rs100 crore in revenue, shared  Viraj Bahl, Founder & MD of VRB. Veeba, their flagship condiments and sauce brand, surpassed Rs 1000 crore in revenue last year.

Founded in 2013, Veeba has navigated a dynamic and competitive Indian market, evolving from a startup to a key player in the FMCG sector.

Speaking at the e4m D2C Amazon Masterclass 2024, Bahl discussed the brand's remarkable growth trajectory from Rs 100 crore to Rs 1000 crore, along with the challenges and valuable learnings they encountered along the way.

With successful brands like Veeba and Tasty Pixel already in their portfolio, the company is now gearing up to launch its third brand, Wok Tok, which will focus on Asian sauce delicacies.

“Our goal is clear—VRB of 2028 will have four brands in seven categories. We’ve just launched Tasty Pixel, which has already crossed the Rs 100-crore mark in revenue, we have Wok Tok waiting to win hearts and take over the market,” Bahl said.

Discussing VRB’s strategy for brand building, Bahl spoke at large about the importance of making smart, targeted decisions rather than broad, costly campaigns.

“If you want to build an aspirational brand, I would strongly recommend advertising on something like MasterChef Australia instead of MasterChef India, even though the former has lower TRP scores. It’s all about reaching the right audience, not just a bigger one,” he advised.

According to Bahl, one of the key drivers of VRB’s growth has been its unwavering commitment to quality.  Bahl also shared a personal guideline that governs their product development.

“We have a simple rule at VRB. If I can’t give my products to my kids, I have no business giving it to any of your kids,” he said.

This philosophy has led to stringent quality checks and innovations, such as the recent launch of a sugar-free ketchup variant, which was developed in response to consumer feedback.

Bahl also highlighted the importance of balancing brand building with financial discipline. “Vanity is a dangerous thing for founders. I learned this the hard way when we exceeded our marketing budget by hiring a celebrity. It was a big mistake, and we declared a massive loss that year. Since then, we’ve been very disciplined—15% of revenue for marketing when we were below 100 crore, and now 10%. It’s crucial to maintain that balance.”

Addressing the role of digital media in their strategy, Bahl admitted that they still have a long way to go.

“Despite being category leaders on most online platforms, I’d rate our performance a 5 out of 10. We need to work much harder on this front,” he said.

He emphasised that young brands should adopt an ‘online-first’ approach.

“Today, you need to be online first. Spend on online advertising for sales, but if you can bring a cricketer or Bollywood star on board without breaking the bank, it can really help break through the clutter,” he added.

As VRB looks ahead, the company is set on strengthening its presence across India, leveraging both digital and traditional media.

“We’ve come a long way, but there’s much more to achieve. Our focus is clear, our goals are set, and we’re ready for the next big leap,” Bahl concluded with a confident smile.