How Marico Turns D2C Founder DNA Into FMCG Scale

Marico commenced 2026 with three quick acquisitions, doubling down on high-growth, youth-led categories like wellness, premium snacking and beauty to accelerate its digital-first portfolio

Unlike full buyouts common among large FMCG players such as HUL and ITC, Marico follows a minority-to-majority, founder-led approach, backing entrepreneurs with capital, distribution and backend synergies while preserving brand independence

Marico is targeting INR 1,000 Cr ARR from its D2C business in FY26, with Plix already crossing INR 500 Cr and other brands being groomed to individually scale to INR 500 Cr

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Marico kicked off 2026 with an acquisition spree. In a matter of weeks, the FMCG giant, known for household staples like Parachute and Saffola, signed three back-to-back deals to decisively push into the fast-growing, youth-driven categories such as wellness, premium snacking, and beauty.

The saga began on January 29, when Marico snapped up a 93.27% stake in gourmet popcorn brand 4700BC’s parent Zea Maize from PVR INOX for INR 226.8 Cr. 

Forging its acquisition cauldron further, the FMCG major announced two more deals in February. It picked up a 60% stake in Bengaluru-based plant-based protein startup Cosmix Wellness for INR 226 Cr. It also acquired a 75% stake in Vietnam-based Skinetiq Joint Stock Company for an estimated INR 262-350 Cr.

So what’s driving Marico’s growing appetite for digital-first D2C brands?

“We follow what we call a chessboard theory. We carefully map out the opportunities we can add to our portfolio. We only enter adjacencies where we believe we have a clear right to win, rather than chasing categories simply because they look large or attractive in the short term,” said Marico’s MD and CEO, Saugata Gupta.

“We follow what we call........

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