India’s instant noodles market is a fiercely guarded territory, valued at ₹18,000 crore and growing. For years, the duopoly of Nestlé’s Maggi (60% share) and ITC’s Sunfeast Yippee (25% share) has proven nearly impossible to penetrate.
In a recent Mint Explainer, Arvind Singhal, Founder of The Knowledge Company, weighs in on Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL)’s third attempt to crack this code by reviving the 75-year-old legacy label, SIL.
Reliance first tested the waters with SnacTac in 2021 and Independence in 2022. Both failed to gain meaningful traction. Arvind Singhal notes that these failures were rooted in a lack of cohesive brand identity:
“The earlier attempts didn’t work because they were essentially private-label launches without a clear branding or product strategy. When noodles are launched as a standalone category, it becomes very difficult to build shelf visibility and consumer recall.” — Arvind Singhal, Founder, The Knowledge Company
Unlike previous “stand-alone” categories, SIL is being positioned as RCPL’s flagship foods brand. This marks a shift from tactical launches to a portfolio-based strategy. By relaunching SIL across noodles, ketchups, jams, and sauces simultaneously, Reliance aims to create a “contiguous portfolio.”
Structurally Different Strategy: Arvind Singhal highlights that shelf visibility improves significantly when multiple related products sit under the same brand. “This gives the strategy a better chance of success than Reliance’s earlier, fragmented launches,” he explains.
Reliance is pulling its most powerful lever: Pricing. By launching at a disruptive ₹5 entry point, SIL aims to undercut established rivals and capture value-conscious households.
However, as Singhal points out, Maggi’s dominance is built on more than just cost—it is built on decades of habit formation. Dislodging a brand that has become a “generic reference point” for an entire category requires more than just a low price; it requires sustained trust and emotional recall.
Noodles are a “gateway category.” Success here opens the doors to kirana stores and quick-commerce bundles for the rest of Reliance’s FMCG portfolio. With the Indian instant noodles market projected to reach $4.64 billion by 2030, the stakes have never been higher.
Read the full analysis in Mint at: https://www.livemint.com/companies/reliance-sil-noodles-third-attempt-vs-maggi-11765971448243.html
Arvind Singhal’s commentary reflects TKC’s role as a trusted partner for companies navigating the high-stakes Indian FMCG and retail landscape.
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