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“Bhaiyaa, ek Bisleri dena”

There are hardly any brands in India that have become synonymous with the product. Bisleri is one such brand that has etched itself in the minds of consumers. When we think of drinking water we think of Bisleri. The Chauhan Brothers introduced the idea of packaged drinking water in India and organically people fell in love with the idea.

The start of the Bisleri brand

Italian businessman, inventor and chemist Signor Felice Bisleri founded Bisleri brand in Italy. Mr Felice did not start the company with the intention of selling packaged water. He developed Bisleri as an alcohol remedy. After his demise his close family friend Dr Rossi managed the company.

The Indian connection came through Dr Rossi’s legal advisor’s son Khushroo Suntook. Both of them shared the business idea of introducing packaged drinking water in India. During that time India was breathing the air of Independence and was open to new business ventures. Water was abundantly available in India but clean drinking water was not readily available. The foreign diplomats, ambassadors, and tourists did not find the water suitable to their taste. Dr Rossi and Suntook wanted to target this audience with their product and set up the first water plant in Thane in 1965. Thus India saw the first packaged mineral water.

Initially Bisleri was only available in five star hotels. Dr Rossi and Suntook thought that if they want to reach the mass population of the country serving the rich and high class won’t suffice. They decided to sell the company to Indian entrepreneurs Chauhan Brothers.

Bisleri’s entry in India

The Chauhan Brothers of the Parle company bought the company for 4 lakhs. Ramesh Chauhan, second among the four brothers is the Chairman of Bisleri International. His vision gave Bisleri a new life. They increased the reach of the product by making it available at every nook and corner which the other MNCs failed because they were busy capturing the urban market share. Mr Ramesh Chauhan didn’t bother about the market share, he focused on the 4Ps of marketing.

Becoming the market leader – The 4Ps of Marketing

1. Product – Even though Bisleri was a market leader in the mineral water segment a company cannot survive with only one product. He added more products under the brand portfolio like beverages, soft drinks, and club soda. The brand expanded horizontally in the mineral water segment by introducing 20-litre bottles for homes and offices, and Vedica water (water from the Himalayas). If you check the company’s website you will find that Bisleri also sells automatic water dispensers, faucet taps, and carbonated soda. The most bizarre one (in my opinion) is a diary with the message One Nation One Water.
2. Place – Bisleri could be found even in the remotest location. Its strong distribution system never hampered the availability of the product.
3. Price – India being a price-sensitive market Mr. Chauhan kept the prices of the bottle to Rs 5/10/20, easily affordable to anyone.
4. Promotion – Advertising and marketing are ways to remind the consumers why they should choose their product. It is a reiteration of the brand and maintains its position in the market. Many local brands tried to forge Bisleri products (tweaking the name). In the famous Camel advertisement, the camels demand Bisleri when given water from other brands. The campaign “Har Pani ki bottle Bisleri nahi hoti” was created to spread awareness about the float of duplicate Bisleri bottles in the market. (see the image below for reference)