Water bottles have quietly evolved from being purely functional objects to becoming everyday companions that reflect personal habits, lifestyles, and values. Today, consumers expect more than just hydration — they look for durability, design, temperature performance, safety, and relevance to their specific needs. This shift has transformed the category from a commodity-driven market into one where thoughtful design and customer understanding matter deeply.
Building On A Manufacturing Legacy
Founded on a strong manufacturing legacy, Pexpo’s story begins well before branding or retail entered the picture. “We have been into manufacturing stainless steel as a family for the last 25 years — my father and his brothers,” says Vedant Padia, CEO, Pexpo. That deep-rooted experience in stainless steel manufacturing became the foundation for identifying a critical gap in the Indian market.
When Pexpo began its journey in 2013, stainless steel bottles sold in India were almost entirely imported. “All the bottles being sold in India were made in China,” Padia explains. “They were engineered for Western markets, and whatever was made for those countries was being supplied to India.” This meant that Indian consumers were using products not designed for their usage patterns, climate, or expectations.
Recognising this, Pexpo set out to build stainless steel bottles in India. The team travelled extensively to countries where manufacturing was already established, studying production processes and understanding why technical complexity had kept domestic manufacturing limited. “There was a lot of technical complexity in the product, which is why everyone was importing them at that point,” says Padia. “That was the gap we wanted to address — and we wanted to do it specifically for Indian customers.”
Owning The Consumer Relationship
In its early years, Pexpo focused on private-label manufacturing, supplying stainless steel bottles to other brands. While this allowed the company to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities, it also revealed a limitation. “Private labelling is largely a buy-and-sell business,” Padia notes. “You don’t really understand the consumer’s actual needs.”
That realisation led to a pivotal shift. Post-2020, Pexpo moved decisively into building its own brand, sales, and distribution. The objective was clear: to engage directly with consumers and design products based on real feedback rather than assumptions.
This customer-first thinking now defines Pexpo’s approach to product development. According to Padia, bottle purchases are highly purpose-driven. “A five-year-old kid, a 25-year-old Gen Z consumer, and a 50-year-old person looking for warm water in winter all have completely different needs,” he says. Performance, usability, brand value, and price all play a role — but the use case ultimately determines the product.
As a result, Pexpo has developed products across age groups and life stages — from baby feeding bottles and school bottles to thermoses for adults. Rather than focusing on a single demographic, the brand aims to serve multiple cohorts simultaneously. “We don’t see ourselves limited to one age group,” Padia explains. “Our objective is to get the right product into the hands of every Indian.”
Feedback As A Product Roadmap
A key enabler of this strategy has been Pexpo’s direct-to-consumer engagement, particularly through digital channels. Transitioning from a manufacturing-led B2B model to B2C required building in-house teams across digital marketing, performance marketing, and consumer insights. “Digital business is faster and has less friction,” says Padia. “We can communicate directly with customers, understand their feedback, and tailor our business around it.”
This feedback loop has driven several product improvements over the years. One example came from parents, who reported that bottle lids often cracked when children dropped them — and replacement accessories were difficult to find. “Because most products were imported, accessories weren’t available,” Padia says. Pexpo responded by manufacturing and selling replacement accessories through its website.
Another insight led to the addition of protective bumpers at the base of children’s bottles to reduce dents and colour damage. The company also shifted to more durable powder coating after learning that paint chipping affected both aesthetics and longevity. “Every change we’ve made has been based on customer inputs,” Padia explains. “Expectations keep evolving, and we try to evolve with them.”
While Gen Z consumers have been quicker to adopt newer Indian brands, Padia believes Pexpo’s growth cannot rely on one age group alone. “Younger consumers are more open to trying new brands, especially through digital discovery,” he says. “But at our stage, growth has to come from all age segments.”
Pexpo’s marketing reflects this balance. The brand currently focuses largely on digital platforms, social media storytelling, performance marketing, and marketplaces, which Padia says deliver the highest return on investment. In terms of channel mix, approximately 60% of Pexpo’s business comes from e-commerce and quick commerce, while 40% comes from general trade.
The Lifestyle Of Hydration
Looking ahead, Pexpo is reframing how the category is perceived. “Bottles have traditionally been positioned as a very ‘home’ category,” Padia observes. “We see it differently — as an outdoor and lifestyle product.” The brand aims to create products people feel proud to carry, whether to school, college, work or travel.
This vision is guiding Pexpo’s future growth strategy: deeper specialisation by use case, continued investment in customer-led design, and a shift towards lifestyle-led branding. As Indian consumers grow more confident in homegrown brands, Pexpo’s journey reflects a larger change — one where everyday essentials are no longer just functional, but thoughtfully made, purpose-driven and distinctly Indian.
