Saffola claims the top spot as india's premier oats brand

Marico, a prominent Indian FMCG company, has demonstrated its knack for innovation, outperforming PepsiCo's Quaker oats brand. Marico's approach of infusing a local flavor into oats by introducing a savory variant to the predominantly sweet global option has propelled Saffola to surpass Quaker as the foremost brand in this category. As of December 2022, Saffola commands a 42% market share by value, overtaking Quaker which stands at approximately 34%, as reported by Kantar, a marketing data and analytics firm.

Saffola's range of oats, available in both plain and masala varieties, has expanded the snacking possibilities within the category, extending beyond the conventional breakfast fare. In contrast, Quaker primarily positions oats as a breakfast item. Traditionally, oats have been primarily consumed in the form of a morning meal.

Saugata Gupta, Marico's MD & CEO, remarked, "We take immense pride in reaching this significant milestone and emerging as leaders in the oats category... Indians have discerning palates. Armed with this fundamental insight, we endeavored to infuse an Indian essence into oats by catering to the quintessential taste preferences, while seamlessly incorporating its health benefits."

A spokesperson from PepsiCo stated, "Quaker is a dominant market leader in the oats breakfast cereals sector in India, driven by our 145 years of nutritional expertise. It is not appropriate to conflate it with other segments that may incorporate oats as an ingredient for market share calculations."

Oats represent a burgeoning category, with penetration in urban India surging from 11% in MAT July 2020 to 17% in MAT July 2023, according to Kantar's household penetration data. The category is broadly categorized into plain oats (11% penetration) and flavored options (8%). Saffola oats claims the top spot with an 11% penetration rate in MAT July 2023, while Quaker oats holds 5%.

Marico also revealed that it has introduced millets into its range of oats as part of its strategy to offer "healthier for you" products. Other players in the approximately Rs 500-crore oats category include Kellogg's (with a share of just under 10%), followed by Bagrry's (2.5%) and Horlicks (below one percentage point).