Case Study: Taste Mein Best – Marketing and Everest

Everyone at my home is a “chatori”. (A loose English translation can be “someone who likes good food”.)

Naturally, my fridge has a range of spice mixes – Pav Bhaji Masala, Sambhar Masala, Shahi Biriyani Masala, to name a few.

I once tried cooking fried rice. It tasted a bit off, so I put some biriyani masala into it.

I still remember my grandmother praising me for it

It literally made me go “Taste Mein Best!”

Anyways, this is not an ad for the brand. But I bet Everest has left its mark on you (as on Billions of others).

Recently, they also created an ad with the 2 dons:

Everest Spices has grown from a humble beginning to become a household name, not just in India but across the globe in more than 58 countries.

The brand was started 56 years ago, in 1967, by Vadilal Shah.

He had a passion for spices and also a good understanding of the market.

In FY2023, the brand had the highest operating revenue in the spice industry in India. The amount totaled to 25 billion INR.

Evolution of the Brand:

Vadilal Shah used to work with his father at their dry-fruit shop in Bombay. There, he observed the demand for the perfect amount of spices to blend at home.

This also differed as the regions and flavors changed.

Initially, women recommended recipes to Mr Shah and he experimented and perfected the blends.

focusing on the Indian market, the brand quickly gained popularity for its high-quality, pure spices.

As consumer demand grew, Everest expanded its product line to include a wide variety of spices and spice blends, catering to the diverse culinary traditions of India.

In the 1980s, recognizing the potential of the global market, Everest Spices began exporting its products.

Today, the brand is available in over 58 countries, bringing the authentic taste of Indian spices to kitchens around the world.

This international expansion was supported by strategic marketing campaigns and a strong distribution network, ensuring that Everest Spices maintained its reputation for quality wherever it was sold.

Competitor Analysis:

The Indian spice market is highly competitive, with several established brands vying for consumer attention and loyalty. Key competitors include MDH, Catch, Badshah, and Eastern Spices. Each of these brands has its own strengths and market strategies, making the competition fierce and dynamic.

MDH:

• Product Range:
  MDH offers a wide variety of pure spices and spice blends, including MDH Garam Masala, Deggi Mirch, and Chana Masala.
• Branding and Advertising:
  MDH’s branding focuses on tradition and quality, often featuring their iconic founder, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, in advertisements.
• Strengths:
  MDH’s long-standing reputation, extensive product range, and strong brand recall are its primary strengths. Their focus on traditional advertising has created a loyal customer base.

Catch Spices:

• Product Range:
  Catch offers a variety of spices, seasonings, and masalas, including Catch Garam Masala, Catch Sprinklers, and Catch Ginger Garlic Paste.
• Branding and Advertising:
  Catch uses modern and appealing packaging designs to attract urban consumers. Their advertising campaigns often highlight the freshness and purity of their products.
• Strengths: 
  It has innovative packaging and strong distribution network, which ensures that its products remain fresh and readily available.

Badshah Masala:

• Product Range:
  Badshah offers a wide range of spice blends, including Badshah Chaat Masala, Badshah Biryani Masala, and Badshah Pav Bhaji Masala.
• Branding and Advertising:
  Badshah’s advertising focuses on affordability and taste, often featuring recipes and cooking tips in their campaigns.
• Strengths: 
  The key strengths of Badshah Masala include competitive pricing and a focus on providing flavorful spice blends that cater to a broad audience.

Everest’s USP:

Despite the fierce competition, Everest Spices has distinguished itself through its commitment to quality, authenticity, and regional diversity. Their USP lies in offering pure, high-quality spices that cater to the diverse culinary traditions of India. Everest’s stringent quality control measures, combined with their innovative product range, ensure that they consistently deliver the best products to their consumers.

Their emphasis on authenticity, quality, and regional diversity continues to set them apart in the bustling Indian spice market.

Everest’s Marketing Mix:

Product:

According to A.C. Neilsen, Everest Spices is India’s top brand for spices.

Whole Spices: Everest offers a wide range of whole spices, the foundation of Indian cooking, like black peppercorns and cardamom pods to cloves. Its flagship product is the Everest Red Chilli Powder.

I bet you remember this iconic ad film that promotes it:

Ground Spices:  This includes everyday essentials like turmeric, coriander powder, and cumin powder, alongside specialty spices like Kashmiri chili and smoked paprika.

Spice Blends:  Everest understands the importance of regional flavors in India. They offer a variety of pre-mixed spice blends like Garam Masala (North India), Sambar Masala (South India), and Panch Phoron (East India).

Ready-to-Cook Pastes & Mixes:  These include popular options like Ginger-Garlic Paste, Butter Chicken Masala, and Biryani Masala, allowing home cooks to recreate restaurant-style dishes with minimal effort.

Price:

For a price-sensitive market like India, Everest employs a competitive pricing strategy, ensuring their products are accessible to a wide range of income groups.

Variety in pack sizes: 
Everest offers their spices and blends in various pack sizes, from small pouches for single use to larger, economical packs for frequent cooks. This allows consumers to choose the option that best suits their needs and budget.

Source: Exporters India

Focus on value for money: 
Everest emphasizes the quality and purity of their products, positioning them as a cost-effective choice for everyday cooking.

Place:

Everest is famed to be the only spice brand available across the country.

Its products are readily available across India and exports in over 65 countries worldwide.

Everest Spices boasts world’s largest spice factory, operated at Umbergaon, Gujarat.

They have established a strong presence in international markets, catering to the needs of the Indian diaspora and those seeking to explore authentic Indian flavors.

Promotional Strategies:

Traditional Ads:

Everest Spices has a long-standing tradition of using various traditional advertising channels to reach its audience.

They still use newspapers for advertising:

Source: X

Interesting Fact: Everest Spices was one of the first spice brands to advertise nationally on television in India.

The iconic ads, often centered around the themes of purity, family, and authentic taste, played a crucial role in embedding Everest in the collective memory of Indian consumers.

For instance, this ad film focuses on how a daughter-in-law could cook delicious meals effortlessly:

Brand Ambassadors:

In 2022, the brand collaborated with Chef Ranveer Brar to create a series of videos promoting different products.

Ranveer Brar is a popular chef, loved by millions in the country.

These efforts not only reinforce the brand’s message of quality and authenticity but also foster a strong connection with its audience.

In a Nutshell:

Everest Spices’ marketing success is a testament to its effective blend of tradition and innovation.

Their commitment to quality, deep understanding of regional tastes, and strategic use of both traditional and digital marketing channels have established them as a leading brand in the spice market.

Their innovative use of technology and targeted market approach ensures that Everest remains a trusted name in spices both in India and across the globe.

Key Takeaways from Everest Spice’s Marketing

• Understand and Cater to Diverse Markets:
  Recognizing and addressing the specific needs and preferences of different market segments can significantly enhance brand appeal.
• Balance Tradition and Innovation:
  Maintaining traditional values while adopting modern marketing techniques can create a strong, trustworthy brand image.
• Leverage Technology:
  Investing in technology to ensure product quality and operational efficiency can lead to long-term success.
• Build Strong Distribution Channels: 
  Ensuring wide and consistent availability of products through a robust distribution network is crucial for market penetration and customer satisfaction.