With consumers increasingly turning to digital channels for purchases during pandemic times, packaged water company Bisleri is betting big on its direct-to-home delivery service through its e-commerce platform. According to the company, this channel now contributes 25-30 per cent to its business.

“The pandemic has changed the way consumers shop for even essential products. So, as a company, we had to focus on building new capabilities in line with evolving consumer needs. This prompted us to launch Bisleri@Doorstep in April. Our focus is currently on strengthening our direct-to-consumer servicing capabilities in the top 40 cities,” said Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International.

He added that the company has been investing significantly on its online platform, strengthening consumer connect and the agility of its infrastructure to reach out to consumers.

Bisleri: Making big waves

Push to distribution

The company is servicing these doorstep delivery orders either directly or in collaboration with distributors and service partners. Consumers can also opt for subscription services for uninterrupted supplies.“ In terms of average order value per day, a metric we closely monitor, we have seen a surge by 2-3 times on a sequential basis on the platform. The dramatic growth of e-commerce channel has been one of the positive stories during this pandemic,” he added.

At a time when consumers are seeking trusted brands, the company said it is seeing market share gains in many regions. The packaged water company has also been focusing on strengthening its offline distribution.

“During the nationwide lockdown, many outlets were facing some restrictions in terms of opening hours. So we decided to expand the reach of our products through chemists, fruit and vegetable outlets and milk booths to complement our kirana and modern trade distribution. These new channels have now become a permanent part of our overall distribution network,” George said.

Fizzy fruit drinks

For the beverage industry, the nationwide lockdown coincided with the peak summer season and severely disrupted out-of-home channels. “A large part of the hotels, restaurants and catering channel (HoReCa) has now opened up. We are seeing improvement in consumption in this channel on a week-on-week basis and working closely with our partners in this channel on adoption of safety protocols,” he said.

The company is also now focusing on expanding the distribution of its fizzy fruit drinks range, which includes Spyci, Limonata and Fonzo. “Consumers are seeking fruit-based beverages and since July we have been focusing on expanding the distribution of our fizzy fruit drinks range products to leverage on the festival period, which is considered to be the second summer for the industry,” George added.

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