Everyone can Cook

With the global cookware market poised to grow by USD 5.61 billion between 2019-2023, cookware retailing is clearly innovating itself as a lifestyle product segment which is slowly being modelled for a healthy family without female gender biases in the kitchen and onto the modern format of ‘everyone can cook’. Corporate Citizen spoke to Sunil Agarwal, Director, Vinod Cookware, on his journey with the brand and the prevailing sector trends an excerpt

Cooking the best work-life balance
Sunil Agarwal with family

Success means to achieve a goal that I have set for myself. It means to produce high-quality work before the deadline. It is to have a goal, plan the steps to achieve the goal, implement the plan, and finally achieve the goal”, said Sunil Agarwal. A simple and predictable ‘success mantra’ indeed.

What began as a small stainless steel utensil manufacturing unit at Bhandup, Mumbai, in 1962 has inched into modern kitchens and into the more organised cookware retail segment. Popularly known as Vinod Cookware under its flagship brand, and a current turnoverof around INR 180 crore, the company has in its journey of 50 years and more matched paths with the ever-transcending trends within the cookware retailing industry. The sector gained much momentum and brand width with the launch of the now ubiquitous ‘non-stick’ cooking utensils which has witnessed new product trends and consumer behaviour patterns in the past five decades. Sunil Agarwal, who shares the trajectories of ‘Vinod Cookware’ and valuable insights into the sector.

Does the journey of Vinod Cookware reflect upon the transitions of the cookware sector per se?

The journey in transitioning from being referred to as an unorganised segment brand to becoming a mainstream (organised) brand has had itschallenges. When my father Rajeram Agarwal started this business, the Indian market worked very differently; consumers too were not very brand conscious about their utensil requirements. However, with changing times and consumption habits, the industry witnessed a vast change. For us, it was setting up of the manufacturing capacity in India (Make in India) and also expanding our vast product portfolio, which gave us an edge in the market. Consumers were brand-specific in satisfying their particular needs such as meeting their consumption criteria for pressure cookers with say Hawkins and the like. But, Vinod as a company had most categories of kitchenware and utensils under one umbrella brand and everything under one basket. This, I believe led to a major shift in the consumer mindset and transformed the dynamics of the Indian market.

What were the prime challenges faced by the company in the past 5-6 years?

The most challenging part has been in understanding the market trends and we had to stand out and find distinctness in our product portfolio in comparison to other brands in the sector. We had to keep up with the market dynamics while planning for the future and stepped into our consumer’s shoes to understand their requirements. Lately, the cookware market has also become a priceconscious pick, which has led to several brands taking the hit on the quality aspect. We have managed to keep up with our USP.

Does non-stick cookware pose health risks?

We were the first company in India to bring PFOA-free (Perfluorooctanoic acid) non-stick cookware to our consumers. While PFOA has been linked to many diseases, non-stick cookware is a healthy option for low-fat cooking. It is especially healthy for cooking eggs, crepes like chilla and other low-fat food.

Is the stainless-steel cookware sector considered an organised domain player?

No, we cannot say so, as the sector still remains very much unorganised. To differentiate from the unbranded products, the quality of the product becomes the USP. Also, non-branded players have stuck to the basics and worked on traditional products for a long time, whereas, branded players have adopted technology and new-age trends to define their cookware in matching with current consumer needs and trends. Currently, I don’t see both these competing against each other, as we are talking apples and oranges. With changing times, consumers too have become brand conscious, and more educated on what to buy based on their lifestyles.

How big is the branded cookware segment in the gamut of steel cookware and utensils?

The branded cookware segment holds around 30% market share in India while the unorganised segment is larger. However, this trend will gradually see a change in the near future as the stainless-steel (SS) segment is slowly reigning more focus within the industry.

"Kraft is the sister concern of Vinod Cookware and through this we will be focussing on the appliances range. We propose to launch several new age products in order to match"

Sunil Agarwal with his family

Can we say Vinod Cookware is a legacy in modern times?

Indeed! As a brand which has been a prime player in the industry for the past 54 years has maintained its relevance to the new generation of consumers does showcase the legacy it holds. With changing times, and based on the latest consumer, the brand has brought advancements even to simple cookware.

How has Vinod Cookware positioned it-self in the current market?

Since 1962, we have been India’s revolutionary cookware brand that has changed cooking experience and lifestyles. The Brand is available in over 2000 stores across all the cities. Apart from expanding the reach, we also aim to launch our own five EBO (exclusive business outlet) stores, with the key objective to define ‘What’s not seen outside – goes inside’.

What do you think has added to the success of Vinod cookware?

I believe, it is a blend of understanding the entirety of the cookware market segment followed by designing products that could be the game changer in the Industry. It’s the confluence of knowledge, research & development R&D) and getting around consumer behaviour trends for planning our long-term strategy.

What is the business tie-up with Kraft appliances?

Kraft is the sister concern of Vinod Cookware and through this we will be focussing on the appliances range. We propose to launch several new age products in order to match future trends smart cooking needs.

What are future plans for the company, besides enhancing the cookware segment?

We will continue our journey the same way as we have done in the past. Our vision is to grow and seek the huge untapped market which has a huge potential. We view this as a beginning of yet another journey.

How do you overcome challenges in your work-life?

One of the realities of life and work is that there are going to be tough and difficult times, and not everything is going to always be rainbows and butterflies. Instead of hiding behind them or viewing them as taboo topics, I think it’s im-portant to acknowledge and discuss them.

Your mantra for work-life balance?

Know your priorities and know where they rank. Years after that experience, I’ve got my priorities down. You’ve got to drop the ball somewhere, and I choose where mine drops. That is the first step in work-life balance.

Share your hobbies and other interests.

I am quite a foodie and love to travel the world, explore new culture which in turn leads me to newer dimensions of life.