01_singapore_2026_THURSDAY_ISSUE_FLIPBOOK

Building cohort-led strategies for India’s next-generation traveller To provide the brand perspective, Mudit Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer of Cococart and Café, shared insights into how concepts and retail approaches are adapting to meet the expectations of India’s next- generation traveller. “For the past 15 years, we’ve been talking about the ‘India story’ as a future opportunity,” said Srivastava. “Today, it’s no longer just a story – it’s a reality. This is the right moment for businesses to either enter the market or reassess their strategies, so they can fully participate in and grow within one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.” At the same time, India is a deeply consumption-driven market with 1.4 billion people spread across a very complex and diverse consumer pyramid. “Different cohorts behave very differently, so a one-size- fits-all approach to assortment or strategy simply doesn’t work,” Srivastava shared. “Brands and retailers need to move away from legacy retail thinking and build much sharper cohort-led strategies to truly unlock the opportunity.” Cococart & Café has moved away from a static, product-push model and built its formats around discovery, encouraging travellers to engage, explore, and return. “The focus is on staying intuitive for today’s consumer, who discovers on Instagram and validates on Google,” Srivastava explained. “At airports, travellers can order via the Adani One app and receive food at the gate, while in cities our products are available through leading food aggregator platforms. For chocolates, we’ve built strong last-mile capabilities – reaching 23,000+ pin codes in 48 hours and leveraging 6,500+ quick commerce pods for delivery in under 10 minutes – serving consumers who value instant access beyond travel occasions.” Value-conscious in India doesn’t mean cheap – it spans across different consumer cohorts, not just the digitally affluent. “The Indian traveller today is a global consumer, well-travelled and informed about products and taste, and willing to spend when the value proposition feels authentic, connected, and justified,” said Srivastava. “We’re very deliberate in our pricing and experience segmentation, balancing value-led pricing with premium experiences where it matters. Ultimately, the key is to earn trust quickly, as the Indian traveller forms opinions very fast.” Digital discovery and social media are shaping consumer behaviour in India. For Cococart & Café, the narrative really starts before the Indian traveller even reaches the airport – on social media, travel communities, and influencer content. “We’ve been very intentional about building a digital presence that reflects what we do instore, so the experience feels consistent and real,” Srivastava shared. “What’s interesting is that nearly 95% of our meta engagement is user and employee led. For instance, our Executive Chefs personally narrate the story behind new food and dessert launches, marketing teams share how we design small but thoughtful store elements, and operations teams talk about real customer experience moments. It keeps the brand very grounded and closely connected to consumers.” Srivastava concluded by highlighting that India is one of the most lucrative markets globally, but also one of the most complex to crack, given its diverse demographics, income disparity, and strong value-seeking consumer strata. “Frommy experience, success is not about short-term transactions – it’s about building a long-term strategy rooted in brand trust, one that is relevant for fast-evolving Indian consumers. Brands need to commit early, invest meaningfully in India, and bring their best thinking and execution capability to the market. The ones that approach India with patience, clarity of positioning, and consistency in brand building will win over time.” Mudit Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer, Cococart and Café: “For us, innovation is a constant mindset across all business domains – always focused on becoming more impactful and efficient. Today, a key driver of this is data and AI-led decisioning.” Thursday 14 May 2026 13 T F W A D A I L Y