FMCG Insights

Turnover thresholds, capacity triggers, fees, documents, and the co-packer licensing gap that catches most first-time brand owners.

Chapter structure, 4 vs 6 vs 8 digits, common food headings with post-2025 rates, and the borderline products that end up in disputes.

The mandatory declarations, font-size minimums, unit sale price rule, and the MRP questions every founder asks — dual MRP, stickers, selling above MRP.

A "20% margin" channel that actually takes ~38% of MRP once ads, promos, and freight are counted. A worked P&L and when the trade is still worth it.

Conversion charges vs capex and fixed costs, the volume crossover point, and the non-financial factors — recipe secrecy, iteration speed — that should tip the call.

CM1/CM2/CM3 explained with a worked first-order P&L, realistic Indian CAC and AOV benchmarks, and why repeat rate decides survival.

The registration stack, what destination regulators demand, FOB vs CIF quoting, and the first-shipment mistakes that erase margins.

Laminate pouches vs jars vs cartons, cylinder charges, wastage, and a worked example where a "₹5.80 pouch" turns into ₹7.49 per unit.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.