STEADY ASCENT

In a fiercely competitive market, can home appliances and durable company Kenstar's calibrated expansion across categories and towns unlock its Rs 3,000-crore revenue ambition?

- By ASHISH SINHA

IN India's bustling consumer appliances landscape, growth stories are often loud, capital-heavy and acquisition-led. Kenstar's trajectory has been different—quieter, more incremental, but no less deliberate. Owned by Ken Lifestyles, the brand has spent the last few years strengthening fundamentals rather than chasing quick scale: refreshing product portfolios, widening distribution, investing in service infrastructure and, crucially, aligning itself with how and where India is actually buying appliances today.

That groundwork has helped Kenstar scale to around Rs 1,000 crore in turnover. The next milestone is far more ambitious—tripling that number to Rs 3,000 crore over the next three to four years. The path to that goal runs not just through India's metros, but increasingly through Tier-2, Tier-3 towns and semi-urban markets, where appliance penetration is rising rapidly and brand loyalties are still being shaped.

India's Appliance Market

India's home-appliance industry is firmly in a multiyear growth cycle. Rising disposable incomes, rapid urbanisation, easier financing, and increasing electrification have expanded the addressable market across categories—from air coolers and water heaters to air conditioners and washing machines. Industry estimates suggest the overall consumer-durables market is growing at low double-digit rates, with several categories clocking even faster growth.

Yet, this is also one of the most competitive consumer markets in the country. Global multinationals, established Indian majors, aggressive regional players and a vast unorganised sector all compete for shelf space and consumer mindshare. Price wars are frequent, innovation cycles are shortening, and distribution reach often determines success as much as product quality.