MAM
DS Group’s Pulse Candy was recognised by IIMA as a case study in marketing excellence
Mumbai: Being a leader in the hard-boiled candy segment for the last eight years, Pulse Candy has captured millions of consumers’ taste buds. The IIMA case study examines the marketing strategies and strategic decisions that fueled Pulse Candy’s rise to prominence. It looks at how DS Group identified market needs, developed a unique product, and navigated various challenges to achieve success.
“We are deeply honoured by IIM Ahmedabad’s recognition of Pulse Candy as a case study,” said DS Group vice chairman Rajiv Kumar. “This acknowledgement highlights our team’s dedication and the product’s significant impact on the market. Our continuous focus on innovation and dedication to deliver what the consumer wants is what has helped us flourish and remain relevant since the last 95 years. We hope this case study serves as an inspiration to future marketers and entrepreneurs.”
IIM Ahmedabad prof Sanjay Verma said, “The inclusion of Pulse Candy in our case study series underscores the remarkable intersection of innovation and strategic acumen. Pulse Candy’s journey from a bold market entry to industry leadership is a testament to the power of creative marketing and strategic vision. This case study not only highlights DS Group’s ability to identify and capitalize on market opportunities but also provides invaluable insights for future business leaders. It is a compelling example of Culture Marketing and how well-executed strategies can redefine market dynamics and achieve unprecedented success.”
This three-part case study examines DS Group’s strategic entry into the competitive hard-boiled candy market. The FMCG giant’s transition into a sector dominated by established national and international players is explored in detail. The study analyzes the identified market opportunity and DS Group’s approach to product differentiation. It provides a comprehensive overview of market size, growth, segmentation, key competitors, and distribution channels.
The launch of Pulse Candy is the second part of the series and is highlighted as a turning point in the case study. By identifying a consumer preference for tangy raw mango, DS Group created a unique, premium candy. This innovative product, with its distinctive taste and packaging, rapidly gained popularity, surpassing competitors to become the market leader.
Pulse Candy’s success is further examined in terms of marketing strategies and challenges in the third series. Pulse Candy achieved Rs 1 billion in sales in eight months through BTL, digital, and influencer marketing. Despite counterfeits, copycats, and shortages, DS Group’s strategies maintained market dominance.
MAM
Ember Cookware appoints Amit Singh as chief of supply chain
10-year veteran to lead operations as brand scales across D2C, quick commerce and retail.
MUMBAI: Ember just handed its supply chain the perfect seasoning because when your cookware is non-toxic and non-stick, the operations behind it better be fast and flawless. Ember Cookware has appointed Amit Singh as chief of supply chain and Services, bolstering its leadership team at a pivotal growth phase. Singh brings over a decade of experience in supply chain strategy, operations and large-scale network buildouts.
He began his career at Singapore-based retail giant Giant Hypermarket before joining Pharmeasy in 2015, where he played a foundational role in building and scaling its pan-India supply chain across B2B and B2C channels. At API Holdings, he later led supply chain operations for North India, managing end-to-end execution across complex, multi-city networks.
In his new role, Amit will oversee Ember’s complete supply chain and service ecosystem including sourcing, manufacturing coordination, logistics, last-mile delivery, post-purchase support and workforce development. His mandate focuses on building cost-efficient, resilient operations that shorten fulfilment times, strengthen inventory management and deliver a consistently high-quality consumer experience as the brand expands nationally.
Ember Cookware co-founder & CEO Siddharth Gadodia said, “Supply chain is where growth either holds or breaks. As we scale across channels and geographies, we need operations that are efficient, resilient, and built for speed, without ever compromising on the consumer experience. Amit has done this before, at real scale.”
Ember Cookware co-founder & CMO Himanshi Tandon added, “As we scale, supply chain efficiency becomes as important as product and brand. Amit’s mandate is to build the operational foundations that make our promise consistent at scale.”
Amit Singh commented, “Ember is building something genuinely different, a category-defining brand with a clear purpose and the ambition to match. I’m looking forward to building supply chain infrastructure that doesn’t just keep pace with growth, but enables it.”
The appointment forms part of Ember’s broader push to deepen leadership across key functions as it invests in its Innovation Lab, proprietary material technologies and operational backbone to support national expansion.
In a kitchenware world where non-stick promises are easy but delivery is hard, Ember isn’t just cooking up products, it’s cooking up an operation that keeps every promise sizzling from factory to fork.
