The Government has allowed 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in food processing and single-brand retail and 51% in multi-brand retail. This would bolster employment, supply chain and high visibility for FMCG brands across organised retail markets thereby bolstering consumer spending and encouraging more product launches. The sector witnessed healthy FDI inflows of US$ 20.01 billion from April 2000-December 2021.

Some of the recent developments in the FMCG sector are as follows:

• In February 2022, Dabur India, formed an exclusive partnership with energy provider Indian Oil, which will give Dabur’s products direct access to around 140 million Indane LPG consumer households across India.
• Beco, a startup in India, is revolutionising the FMCG market with low-cost, environmentally-friendly consumer goods.
• In February 2022, Dabur India achieved its goal to collect, process, and recycle approximately 22,000MT of post-consumer plastic three months early.
• In February 2022, Marico Ltd announced its aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 in its global operations.
• In November 2021, Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% equity shares of Tata SmartFoodz Limited (TSFL) from Tata Industries Limited for a cash consideration of Rs. 395 crore (US$ 53.13 million). This move was in line with TCPL’s strategic intent to expand into the value-added categories.
• In November 2021, Unilever Plc agreed to sell its global tea business to CVC Capital Partners for EUR 4.5 billion (US$ 5.1 billion. The business being sold—Ekaterra—hosts a portfolio of 34 tea brands, including Lipton, PG Tips, Pukka Herbs and TAZO.
• In November 2021, McDonald’s India partnered with an FMCG company ITC to add a differentiated fruit beverage, B Natural, to its Happy Meal, which will be available across all McDonald’s restaurants in South and West India, primarily catering to children aged 3–12 years.
• In October 2021, Procter & Gamble announced an investment of Rs. 500 crore (US$ 66.8 million) in rural India.
• In September 2021, PepsiCo commissioned its Rs. 814 crore (US$ 109.56 million) Kosi Kalan foods facility in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh; it is the company’s largest greenfield manufacturing investment in India.
• In September 2021, Vahdam India, an Indian tea brand, raised Rs. 174 crore (US$ 24 million) as part of its Series D round led by IIFL AMC’s Private Equity Fund.
• In September 2021, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group entered the personal-care segment by launching skin and haircare products, aiming at a revenue of Rs. 400-500 crore (US$ 53.84-67.30 million) in the next 4-5 years
• In September 2021, Adani Wilmar announced the opening of physical stores under the name ‘Fortune Mart’ that will exclusively sell Fortune and other Adani Wilmar brand products.
• In August 2021, Apnaklub, a Bengaluru-based B2B wholesale marketplace for consumer goods, raised US$ 3.5 million in a seed round from Sequoia Capital India’s Surge, increasing the total funds to US$ 5 million.
• In August 2021, Soothe Healthcare, an Indian personal hygiene products brand, raised Rs. 130 crore (US$ 17.54 million) in a Series-C round of funding from A91 Partner Partners.
• In August, Adani Wilmar, a 50/50 joint venture between Adani Group and Singapore-based Wilmar, filed for initial public offering (IPO) to raise up to Rs. 4,500 crore (US$ 607.13 million) for expansion.
• In the fourth quarter of FY21, e-commerce sales of Marico Ltd., Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Dabur India, ITC and Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. were 8%, 6%, 5%, 5%, and 4%, respectively, of the total FMCG sales.
• In July 2021, Emami Ltd. increased its stake (by 15% to 46%) in Helios Lifestyle, which sells male-grooming products under The Man Company brand in line with its ambition to tap emerging online opportunities.
• In July 2021, Tata Consumer Products Ltd. introduced ‘Eight O’Clock’, America’s Original Gourmet Coffee, under D2C, besides Tata Coffee 1868 and Sonnets, as a part of its strategy to enhance its D2C approach for select coffee brands and their specific websites. The company plans to add more brands in the D2C space as these three coffee brands stabilise.
• In July 2021, HUL launched in-store vending machine model, Smart Fill machine, for its home care products with the aim to reuse and recycle plastic. Smart Fill machine will allow consumers to reuse plastic bottles by refilling products from its brands like Surf Excel, Comfort and Vim.
• As of June 2021, e-commerce share has already touched 7-8% for some of the largest FMCG companies in the country, according to Accenture India.
• In June 2021, Dabur India announced its Rs. 550 crore (US$ 75.6 million) investment to set up a new plant in Madhya Pradesh for manufacturing of food products, ayurvedic medicines and health supplements.
• In May 2021, Tata Digital Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Tata Sons, acquired a 64.3% stake in supermarket grocery supplies, the business-to-business arm of BigBasket in tandem with Tata Group’s strategy to build a digital consumer ecosystem. According to the Economic Times, the deal is worth U$ 1.8-2 billion.
• In May 2021, Nepal-based CG Corp Global, known for its popular noodles brand Wai Wai, announced its plan to invest Rs. 200 crore (27.42 million) to set up two new manufacturing plants in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.