FMCG Insights

Practical guides on margins, GST, shelf life, and production — written for Indian packaged food founders.

Pricing
How to Price an FMCG Product in India — Building Up from COGS to MRP
Most first-time founders price by adding a margin to COGS. In Indian FMCG, MRP is set first and you work backwards. Here's how the math actually runs.
June 2026  ·  7 min read Read →
Margins
What Distributor and Retailer Margins Actually Look Like in Indian FMCG
Standard margin ranges across general trade, modern trade, and D2C — and what the manufacturer is actually left with after the trade chain takes its cut.
June 2026  ·  6 min read Read →
GST & Tax
GST on Packaged Food in India — Rates, HSN Codes, and What Gets Classified Where
The rate depends on brand status, HSN code, and how the product is sold. A working guide to slabs, CGST/SGST vs IGST, and the most common classification mistakes.
June 2026  ·  5 min read Read →
Food Science
How to Estimate Shelf Life for an Indian Food Product Before Lab Testing
Lab testing costs ₹20,000–80,000 and takes months. Before you commit, you need a directional estimate. Here's what actually drives shelf life and how to use the numbers.
June 2026  ·  7 min read Read →
Production
Scaling a Food Recipe from Kitchen to Co-Packer: The Numbers That Actually Change
You can't just multiply. Spice intensity, batch yield, waste factors, and co-packer brief requirements all behave differently at scale. Here's what to adjust and why.
June 2026  ·  6 min read Read →