Indian FMCG brands

2 min read

Brand Journal

HUL Paid Rs 31,700 Crore for a British Malt Drink. It Was Really Buying a Bedtime Habit

Hindustan Unilever's merger with GSK Consumer Healthcare made it the owner of Horlicks. The real asset wasn't the formula, it was a bedtime ritual already running in millions of Indian homes.

Aug 17, 2026 · Editor's Desk

2 min read

Brand Journal

Nirma Sold Detergent From a Bicycle at Half of Surf’s Price. It Broke Hindustan Lever’s 30 Year Monopoly.

Karsanbhai Patel mixed detergent in his backyard and sold it door to door on a bicycle. Within two decades, Nirma outsold every product in Hindustan Lever's portfolio, and forced the multinational to build a value brand of its own to fight back.

Aug 12, 2026 · Editor's Desk