Imagine this morning. You’re dipping a biscuit in a hot cup of tea. As you are about to savour the biscuit, its tip falls back to the cup. This might be a childhood memory for every Indian. There is no doubt that Parle-G and Britannia would popup in our minds with the mention of the word ‘biscuit’. Compared to Britannia, which is round in shape, Parle G, which is rectangular in shape, has been easier for this delightful eating. The Parle-G brand, which is commonly referred to as the ‘food for the poor’ and has a legacy of 82 years, turned out to be the best seller during the corona and lockdown. Majority of Indians, especially migrant labourers who returned home, relied on the economic 5-rupee packet of Parle-G. Parle-G category head Mayank Shah says that in the past 82 years, the company experienced the best sales during the lockdown.
All biscuit companies have had a good time during the lockdown. However, the 5-rupee packet of Parle-G topped the list. When the government declared lockdown in the last week of March, demand for the Parle-G’s 5-rupee packet surged significantly. Government departments and NGOs preferred supplying these small packets in camps. Before the lockdown, Parle-G used to produce 40 Bn biscuits from 130 factories in India, which is a huge figure for a biscuit brand. There is also a joke about Parle-G that goes like this: “If you arrange all the Parle-G biscuits produced annually one by one, the line would circle the earth 192 times!
Parle-G charges Rs 77 per kilogram, which is lesser than the Rs 100 per kilogram for Rusk. Parle-G is also experimenting in this economy segment. The Biscuit Market in India garners close to Rs 37,000 crore per year. Parle-G controls one-third of the Affordable Value category market. Parle-G proves the notion that a brand becomes consumers’ favourite when it stays relevant with changing times.
