When Parle-G goes to the Gym: A Protein Bar Story
How India’s largest biscuit maker can disrupt protein bar market: A strategic marketing blueprint.
Picture this, you are strolling down the snack section of D-Mart and settled between the familiar packets of Parle-G and Monaco biscuits, you spot something new. A protein bar? From Parle? Okay, this hasn’t happened yet, but in my imagination it did. Let’s dive into a world where India’s beloved biscuit brand decides to enter the protein bar market.
I will structure my approach using simple marketing frameworks I learnt in my marketing class:
a. 5C, for evaluating the current market
b. STP, for choosing right set of customers
c. 4P, for defining the right marketing strategy
While each header above could easily be expanded into its own blog post, I’ll keep my discussion very brief to maintain your interest.
This blog shows how marketing and product team works together to convert a product idea into reality.
5C Analysis
What’s 5C?
The 5C framework is to marketers what a map is to a trekker. A versatile tool that helps business analyse five crucial aspects (Company, Customers, Collaborators, Competition, Context) of their market environment. It creates a comprehensive view of their market landscape to inform effective marketing strategies. Let’s explore each C in detail.
Company
Parle, founded in 1929, is one of the India’s leading FMCG brands and a household name in biscuits and confectionery market. Best known for its ‘Parle-G’ brand, which is the world’s largest selling biscuit brand has strong presence in both urban and rural markets. Company has 1500 wholesalers, 4,25,000 retail outlets fuelled by 130 factories worldwide. Parle has deep consumer understanding, focuses on affordability, and offers value for money products. Back in 2022, Parle became the first Indian packaged food company to cross the milestone of USD 2 billion in annual revenues.
Did you know? Though the Parle-G factory near Vile Parle railway station (Yes, Parle was named after this place) no longer stands, Mumbaikars still fondly remember the aroma of freshly baked biscuits that used to fill the air during train journeys through the area.
Customers
Time-Starved Urbanites: This customer segment comprises individuals entrenched in demanding 9–5 jobs, often juggling multiple responsibilities. Time efficiency and convenience are critical factors in their purchasing decisions.
Young & Health-Conscious Consumers: This group values products that align with their fitness goals and prioritize ingredients that contribute to their overall well-being.
Collaborators
A whole lot of collaborators are considered for a successful execution of marketing aspect. This includes suppliers, retailers, distributors, wholesalers, co-branding, new suppliers, Influencers, E-comm, gym partnerships. A detailed plan is made for every stakeholder to identify how a new product will be despatched, stored, passed to next entity in supply chain. I will limit my content only to collaborator identification given the constraints of this article.
Context
As Parle contemplates its entry into the burgeoning protein bar market in India, it faces a dynamic and evolving landscape. The Indian nutritional bar market, valued at USD 18.34 million in 2024, is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 10.04% through 2030, signalling strong potential for new entrants. This growth is fuelled by a shift in consumer preferences towards healthier snacking options and the rising popularity of fitness and active lifestyles, driving demand for protein-rich, on-the-go snacks. The market is becoming increasingly competitive, with both domestic and international players vying for market share.
Additionally, like all food products, protein bars are subject to FSSAI regulations, which will influence product formulation and marketing claims. In this context, Parle’s strong brand recognition and extensive distribution network position it well to potentially disrupt the protein bar market in India, potentially accelerating market growth and reshaping the competitive landscape.
Competition
In the Indian protein bar market, several key players stand out for their unique offerings. RiteBite Max Protein is a leading brand known for its high-protein bars, popular among gym enthusiasts for their affordability and nutritional value. Yoga Bar is celebrated for its premium, health-focused bars that cater to the urban health-conscious crowd with clean ingredients and no preservatives.
The Whole Truth offers all-natural protein bars with no added sugar or artificial flavors, appealing to those seeking a wholesome snack option. MuscleBlaze provides protein-rich bars designed for fitness enthusiasts, offering a blend of taste and nutrition. These brands collectively cater to diverse consumer needs, from fitness buffs to those seeking healthier snack alternatives.
STP Analysis
What’s STP ?
Imagine you’re inviting friends to your house for a dinner party. Some are vegetarians, others are non-vegetarians, and spice preferences vary. With a limited budget and a desire to minimize food wastage, you need a plan. Enter the STP framework: First, you segment your guests based on dietary preferences and spice tolerance. Then, you target the largest groups, perhaps focusing on a spicy vegetarian dish and a mild non-vegetarian option. Then in positioning, you choose Chicken Biryani for non-vegetarians and Kadhai Paneer for vegetarians.
Now let’s use the same logic for Parle Protein Bar
Segmentation: Dividing the customers based on common traits
Based on insights from qualitative interviews, it appears that customers from Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities show significant enthusiasm for purchasing protein bars, while those from Tier 3 cities are more cautious. Demographically, individuals aged 18 to 27, particularly urban professionals with above-average income and a strong educational background, are notably interested in protein bars, emphasizing health and well-being. Behaviorally, working professionals and those with low protein intake exhibit low brand loyalty in this fragmented market, typically consuming 1–2 protein bars weekly.
Segmentation can be categorized by age groups (8–16, 17–25, 25–35, 35–50, 50+), location (Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3/rural), profession (students, mid-income professionals, high-income professionals, athletes, artists), and usage type (light users for specific occasions, medium users at 1 bar per week, and heavy users at 3–4 bars per week).
Targeting: Choosing the most suitable segment
The primary target demographics for protein bars include young, health-conscious consumers who understand the importance of protein in their diet and prefer protein bars as a healthy snack option that fits their active lifestyle. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts also form a key segment, valuing premium protein bars for their ability to enhance workout routines and provide convenient nutrition on the go.
Additionally, individuals focused on weight management seek flavorful and nutritious protein bars as a balanced snack that supports their dietary goals.
Positioning: Creating an offering for most suitable segment
Competitive Pricing: Acknowledging customer concerns over pricing, Parle aims to position its protein bars slightly below the average market cost. This strategic pricing approach aims to resonate with consumers while maintaining quality standards.
Legacy and Reliability: Leveraging its 94-year legacy, Parle capitalizes on its long-standing presence in the Indian market, nurturing a sense of trust and reliability among consumers. This legacy-based branding sets Parle apart from competitors.
Points of Prominence (POP):
Quality and Taste Assurance: Parle’s reputation hinges on delivering quality and flavourful products, a crucial differentiating factor in a competitive market.
Affordable Pricing: Parle’s commitment to affordability and quality resonates well in a price-sensitive market, endearing the brand to cost-conscious consumers.
Points of Differentiation (POD):
Legacy Brand Image: Parle’s decades-spanning heritage infuses a unique sense of trust and reliability, setting it apart from newer competitors.
Diverse Product Range: Parle’s broad portfolio encompassing biscuits, cookies, snacks, and confectionery enhances its market share. This array of options stands out in comparison to its rivals.
Extensive National Presence: Parle’s widespread reach, spanning rural and urban areas, fortifies its position. Supported by a robust supply chain and collaborations, Parle enjoys an edge over emerging players.
4P Analysis
Here we will consider all our analysis to finally conceptualize the product.
The 4P framework — Product, Price, Place, and Promotion — is used by businesses to effectively bring their products to market and meet customer needs.
Product ensures you have something people want or need. Price sets a cost that reflects the product’s value and is competitive. Place makes sure the product is available where customers shop, whether in stores or online. Promotion involves spreading the word through advertising and marketing campaigns to attract customers.
1. Product
Let’s decide the name and packaging for the product. The protein bar’s name should be easy to remember and easy to pronounce. As a result of brainstorming with my friends, we came up with more than fifteen names. Finally, the name ‘Punch’ was selected. The name is short, catchy and is easy to recall. Not only that, but this name also displays an energetic connotation and aligns with Parle’s brand image.
Just like the product’s name, the packaging design should also be consistent with Parle’s brand image. Three different variants of packaging were designed each with variations in color, font, and layout. A heat map analysis was conducted to understand which part of the packet was gaining the most amount of attention.
I also did a heat map analysis to see which part of the packet gets more attention
2. Price
Parle uses a cost-efficient approach to maintain its leading market position and outperform its competitors. Its pricing strategy is the foundation of this approach. Parle has been able to keep its costs low thanks to its large production output. Parle has better supply chain and distribution channel compared to its competitors, so by capitalizing them, it can give better price with high value to the customers.
After doing some reverse calculations I arrived at 2 variants, one with 55 grams and the other with 25 grams of weight.
3. Place
Let’s identify few key distribution channels
Supermarket and Hypermarket: selling bars directly through supermarkets, hypermarkets, pharmacies, and drug stores.
Specialist Retailers: selling bars to consumers through specialist retail outlets like Health Kart and Decathlon.
Online Quick Commerce: selling protein bars through online grocery stores like Swiggy, InstaMart, Blinkit, Zepto, Flipkart Quick, BB Now, Amazon Fresh.
4. Promotion
Salesforce promotion- By harnessing the existing strengths of their sales team and distribution channels, Parle can strategically amplify the visibility and accessibility of the product, gaining a competitive edge in the process. This approach capitalizes on their well-established infrastructure to effectively push the product forward and outpace rivals in the market.
Marketing Campaigns- Seasonal and event-based campaigns can be utilized to increase the reach and brand presence of the product. Recent sports events such as Olympics, Cricket world cup and Asian games are some of the events where Parle can run the campaign.
Brand Ambassadors- Parle’s worldwide influence is greatly amplified by its brand ambassadors, each sharing a distinct narrative about a Parle product that has been instrumental in driving the growth of their respective brands. These ambassadors not only highlight the significance of Parle’s offerings but also foster a global network of relatable experiences, bridging geographical gaps and contributing to the brand’s expansion.
Thank you for reading this far! In case you want to discuss this topic or anything on brand, product, business, or design let’s catch up on my Twitter.
