Britannia using new-age tools to complement core strategy in rural areas

Britannia is engaging with small, local start-ups to push penetration of key brands in the villages

Reaching the rural consumer may not be as easy as it seems. While a revival in rural demand has raised sales prospects for consumer goods companies, optimising rural distribution networks is increasingly becoming a challenge. A key reason for this is the limited direct distribution reach of companies in villages. Most majors typically have to depend on indirect distribution or the wholesale channel for pushing product penetration into rural areas. 

Britannia, among the country’s key biscuit makers, is no exception to the rule. The wholesale channel remains an important route-to-market in the countryside for the company. But the firm, whose rural