The festive fervour in India translates into a significant spike in demand across categories, especially dairy and food products that form the backbone of traditional sweets, savouries and family meals. For brands in this space, the season is not only about catering to higher consumption but also about creating meaningful associations with consumers that will be remembered well beyond the festive period.
In an interview with BrandSutra, Manish Bandlish, Managing Director at Mother Dairy, shares how the brand prepares for this festive season — from scaling up production and distribution to curating festive packs and running digital-first campaigns.
Edited excerpts…
1. How are Indian consumers’ food and dairy preferences evolving?
Indian consumers are transitioning towards a more mindful approach to food and dairy, and it should also fit in their busy lives. Health and wellness are at the core and at the same time, the pace of modern life is driving demand for convenient, ready-to-use solutions. This confluence is redefining the food and dairy landscape. As the most accessible source of protein and a staple in Indian diets, milk and milk products provide an ideal foundation for meeting daily nutritional needs. This shift is shaping how we innovate.
2. Festive seasons often see a surge in demand across categories. How does your brand prepare to tap into this heightened consumer sentiment?
Festivals in India are synonymous with togetherness, celebration and indulgence with food at the very heart of it all — this translates into higher demand for milk and value-added dairy products. At Mother Dairy, we plan in advance to meet the anticipated surge, from scaling up production capacities to ensuring robust distribution across markets, while also curating festive packs, special offerings, and category-led campaigns. Our focus is to not just to meet demand, but to enrich the joy of celebrations by being a part of every household’s special moments.
3. Could you give us insight into how AI and new technologies have changed the way marketing campaigns are built — right from ideation to execution?
We view technology not just as a tool, but as a catalyst that helps us build more relevant, engaging and impactful brand experiences. We are strategically embedding AI into the daily social content creation process to produce hyper-realistic visuals and dynamic animations that align with the brand tone. It significantly improves turnaround times and enables faster, high-quality content delivery to effectively engage the consumers of today. For instance, we created an AI-generated song for Mother Dairy Ice Creams that integrated the details about the newly launched products within the lyrics. We also rolled out three AI-led video films on social media on the occasion of Cheese Day – a first-of-its-kind initiative in the dairy category.
4. Which mediums — across digital, traditional, or in-store experiences — are most effective for building connections today?
Each medium plays a distinct role in shaping consumer connections. Digital has emerged as the most dynamic platform for engagement, offering reach, personalisation and immediacy. Traditional media continues to build mass awareness and trust, while in-store experiences remain critical for driving last-mile impact and reinforcing brand presence at the point of purchase. We follow an integrated approach, weaving together digital, traditional and consumer touchpoints to create a seamless consumer journey that is both memorable and meaningful.
5. How do you see e-commerce and q-commerce changing the dairy and food retail landscape?
E-commerce and q-commerce have really changed how people shop for food. For dairy – a high-frequency, trust-led category where freshness and speed matter most – these platforms open new possibilities in accessibility and availability. At Mother Dairy, we see them as complementary channels that extend our reach, especially among the new-age, digitally-savvy consumers. They also provide a great opportunity to introduce channel-exclusive offerings, such as our ‘Specials’ range of ice creams curated specifically for these platforms. The future lies in building seamless omnichannel experiences where the consumer can access our products anytime, anywhere – whether through traditional outlets or e-commerce and q-commerce platforms.
6. How big a role does e-commerce and digital advertising play in festive campaigns today, compared to traditional retail-driven promotions?
As an organisation and home to trusted brands, we need to be present where our consumers are. While traditional retail promotions continue to be the backbone for driving visibility and sales, e-commerce and q-commerce, and digital platforms have become indispensable in amplifying reach and engagement. They let us target better, engage in real time, and make campaigns more personal. For us, it’s about combining both to make sure that our brands – Mother Dairy, Safal and Dhara – resonate across audiences and touchpoints, and remain a part of every celebration.
