Our aim is to help consumers trade up, says HUL's CMD Sanjiv Mehta

We keep a close watch on what is happening in the market. We do not have to be the first to enter a category, we could be second or third, but be better, says Sanjiv Mehta

Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India’s largest consumer goods company, believes premiumisation is here to stay despite a large part of the domestic consumer goods market being of a mass nature. In an interview to Viveat Susan Pinto and Niraj Bhatt, CMD Sanjiv Mehta articulates his vision for the company amid a rising tide of challengers. Edited Excerpts:

What underpins your growth strategy in a market where competitive intensity remains high? 

We brought focus on the “core of the core”. These are brands in categories that are highly penetrated. Using our “Winning in Many Indias” strategy, we’ve sought to drive penetration and