Bikaji Foods International Limited is a prominent Indian FMCG company, founded in 1993.
Neha Rao, currently Vice President – Marketing at Bikaji Foods International, brings extensive experience in marketing and strategy across leading media and FMCG organisations. In her current role, she oversees the marketing function for one of India’s prominent FMCG brands, managing a diverse portfolio of over 250 products across six snacking categories.
Prior to this, she served as Brand Head at Fortune India and held key roles at Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd. (The Times Group), AIDEM Ventures and NDTV Media, building strong expertise in brand strategy, marketing services and business planning. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Honours) and a Post Graduate Programme in Communication and Management from MICA, specialising in brand communication.
On the occasion of Women’s Day, Medianews4u.com caught up with Neha Rao, Vice President Marketing, Bikaji Foods International Limited
Q.What shifts have you observed in consumer behaviour when it comes to food and snack choices?
One of the shifts in FMCG over the past decade has been the change in how the woman consumer is viewed from someone who mainly executes household purchases to someone who plays a key role in shaping consumption decisions.
Today’s consumer is more informed and conscious about her choices. She reads labels, compares products across platforms, and prefers brands that align with her priorities whether that is health, quality, taste, or authenticity. With greater financial independence, her influence has also grown beyond daily purchases to include premium products, gifting, and lifestyle-related choices.
For FMCG brands, women today are not just buyers; they are important decision-makers who shape household consumption and contribute significantly to long-term brand loyalty.
Q. As a woman leader in FMCG marketing, how do you see women bringing unique perspectives to brand strategy and consumer engagement?
One perspective woman often bring to marketing is a strong understanding of the consumer’s everyday life. In many FMCG categories, women continue to play a key role in household decision-making, which naturally gives them insight into how products and brands fit into daily routines.
Women leaders also tend to approach challenges with a balanced and thoughtful mindset, managing different priorities while working in fast-paced business environments.
While AI is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in modern marketing, the core of brand-building still relies on human understanding. AI can identify patterns and insights, but recognising cultural nuances, understanding why a flavour evokes nostalgia, or crafting stories that truly connect with consumers still depends on human intuition and experience.
Q. Women leaders are increasingly shaping India’s FMCG landscape. How is Bikaji Foods strengthening women’s leadership across its organisational structure?
At Bikaji Foods, we believe that enabling women in leadership is not just a diversity initiative but an important business priority. Diverse leadership teams bring varied perspectives, which often leads to stronger decision-making and more resilient organisations.
We also recognise the importance of supporting women at different stages of their careers, particularly during transitions into middle and senior management roles. Initiatives such as mentorship, leadership development, and supportive workplace policies play a key role in encouraging more women to grow into leadership positions within the organisation.
Encouragingly, the industry is seeing positive momentum in this direction, and at Bikaji we remain committed to building an environment where more women can take on leadership roles and contribute meaningfully to the company’s growth.
Q. Inclusive storytelling is becoming central to brand communication. How can FMCG brands ensure authenticity while reflecting diverse consumer identities?
Inclusive storytelling in FMCG starts with recognising that India’s diversity cannot be addressed through a single narrative. The focus needs to be on grounding brand communication in cultural realities whether that is a regional celebration, a familiar flavour memory, or everyday food habits so that the story feels natural and relatable to the audience.
For instance, in our campaign in Uttar Pradesh with Pankaj Tripathi built around the line “Kya Baat Hai Ji,” the storytelling reflected the warmth, humour, and food culture of the region. It even drew inspiration from familiar expressions like “Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow mein hain ji,” which resonate strongly with local audiences.
At the same time, partnering with a personality like Pankaj ji helps the narrative connect across Hindi-speaking markets, allowing the campaign to travel wider while still remaining rooted in the cultural context of the region.
Q. India’s food and snack preferences are deeply regional. How does Bikaji balance regional authenticity with a pan-India brand voice in its marketing approach?
At Bikaji, we often think of it as keeping the brand identity consistent while allowing the way it is communicated to adapt across regions. Our core values heritage, authenticity and quality remain the same everywhere, but the expression of the brand can evolve depending on the local context.
Today, regional relevance plays a very important role in how consumers connect with food brands. People naturally respond to flavours, language and cultural cues that feel familiar to them.
For us, general trade continues to be a very localised channel, which allows regional campaigns to celebrate local festivals, food traditions and everyday eating habits. At the same time, national campaigns help reinforce Bikaji’s larger story—its legacy, credibility and scale. This approach allows the brand to stay consistent while still feeling locally connected.
Q. As one of the fastest-growing players in the organised snacks market, how does Bikaji approach innovation while staying rooted in traditional flavours and heritage?
For Bikaji, innovation has never meant moving away from our roots. It has always meant finding new ways to bring the richness of our heritage to a wider audience and a changing world. Our traditional flavours are not a constraint they are our strongest asset. The trust that consumers place in a Bikaji product is built on decades of consistency and authenticity and any innovation we pursue is held to that same standard. Whether it is a new format, a contemporary flavour variant or an evolved packaging experience, the question we always ask is whether it feels true to who we are. This philosophy reflects even in how we have recently evolved as a brand.
Our new logo, crafted around a royal shield and inspired by our deep Rajasthani heritage, is a conscious expression of that rootedness. The upper curve echoes the silhouette of a traditional Rajasthani turban, symbolising honour and warm hospitality, while the fluid lines pay tribute to the golden sand dunes of Bikaner. Even as we grow, our identity keeps us anchored to where we come from. Heritage, for us, is not nostalgia. It is the foundation from which we grow.
Q. Today’s consumers are more health-conscious and value-driven. How are these shifts influencing product storytelling and marketing campaigns?
The modern consumer has fundamentally changed the brief for marketers. Health consciousness today is not a niche it is a mainstream expectation and value-driven choices are no longer limited to premium segments. Across income levels and geographies, consumers are asking more of the brands they invite into their homes. For a brand like Bikaji, this shift has reinforced something we have always believed in that quality and authenticity are not marketing claims, they are the product itself.
Our communication has evolved to reflect this, and our campaigns have consciously moved toward telling stories rooted in real, everyday human moments. With the recently launched “Kya Baat Hai Ji!” campaign featuring Pankaj Tripathi, the intention was never just to sell namkeen as a product but to present it as an emotion because today’s consumer connects with brands that feel genuinely human. What has also shifted is the expectation of value beyond the product. Initiatives like Bikaji Khao London Jao, our first-ever mega consumer offer, were designed to ensure that every single consumer interaction felt rewarding reflecting our belief that brand loyalty is built through consistent moments of feeling seen and valued. For today’s consumer, transparency is trust and that is the standard we hold ourselves to across every campaign we create.
Q. Digital platforms have transformed the way brands engage with consumers. How is Bikaji leveraging digital and social media to connect with audiences more meaningfully?
Digital platforms have fundamentally changed the nature of consumer engagement and for a brand like Bikaji, this shift has opened up exciting new ways to connect with audiences beyond the traditional retail shelf. Our approach to digital has been deliberate and evolving. Television continues to take the lion’s share of our marketing investment, but we recognise that digital will play a crucial role in reaching new geographies, categories and audiences in the years ahead. The work we are doing in this space is as much about building deeper consumer relationships as it is about driving awareness. What digital has enabled most powerfully is the ability to engage consumers directly and meaningfully.
Campaigns like Bikaji Khao London Jao and our 100% cashback offer in collaboration with Paytm were designed not just to drive trials but to create moments of genuine engagement where the consumer felt seen, rewarded and connected to the brand in a way that a television spot alone cannot achieve. The opportunity ahead is significant. As more Indian consumers move online and quick commerce reshapes purchase behaviour, the brands that will win are those that show up consistently, authentically and with content that adds real value. That is the standard we are building towards.
Q. What role do women marketers play in shaping culturally relevant and emotionally resonant brand campaigns today?
Women marketers bring an understanding of emotional nuance that is deeply instinctive and yet strategically powerful. In a category like food, where every communication has to feel genuine to land, that sensitivity becomes a distinct creative advantage. In India, where culture, family and food are so deeply intertwined, women marketers tend to ask not just what a campaign says but how it will make someone feel, whether it reflects a real moment from her life and whether it earns her trust. Those are the questions that separate communication which merely reaches consumers from communication that truly resonates.
At Bikaji, our most meaningful work has always come from understanding the woman at the centre of the Indian household, her role as the curator of taste and the quiet architect of brand loyalty within the family. Women marketers hold that lens naturally, and it reflects in the authenticity of the stories we choose to tell.
Q. Looking ahead, what major trends do you believe will define the future of snack branding and consumer engagement in India?
The future of snack branding in India will be shaped by a consumer who is more informed, more discerning and more emotionally invested in the brands she chooses than ever before.
The continued rise of regional pride, the convergence of health and indulgence and the growing influence of digital and quick commerce will define how brands build relevance in the years ahead. The snacking consumer of tomorrow will not choose between taste and wellness, she will expect both, and brands that can deliver on that promise authentically will lead the category.
For Bikaji, these shifts are not disruptions they are opportunities to deepen what we have always stood for, quality, authenticity and the simple joy of good food shared together.
