In the sixth episode of Marketing Manifest Stations, host Manasi Narasimhan, head of communications and fundraising, CEGIS, was joined by Rasika Prashant, CMO and co-founder, Tata Soulfull.

Launched in 2013, Tata Soulfull offers millet-based products for children and adults. A growing player in India's healthy packaged foods market, the brand became a 100% subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products in February 2021.

Rasika recounted pivotal, ‘serendipitous’ moments from her career, beginning with her early days at Ogilvy, where she gained hands-on experience in rural marketing.

“I started my career at Ogilvy, and I have always believed that you have to do everything - because if you don't do it, somebody else will. Probably, because I'm from Bombay (Mumbai), and that's just the spirit of the city in me. It was a great and interesting experience at Ogilvy, where I started with mainline, and very quickly moved to rural marketing,” she said.

Elaborating further, she added, “Rural marketing is the only function in advertising where you get exposed to a 360-degree approach, where the planning team does 360-degree planning for the brand in the rural market. Otherwise, in the urban market, there are specialists for each function. So that way, I got a complete exposure.”

After her stint at the agency, Rasika pursued further studies in the US, following which she worked at an agency started by two founders, who later sold their company to Euro RSCG. “There, I got to work very closely with the founders, and was fortunate to explore digital marketing, which was just coming to the forefront then.”  

Reflecting on the origins of Soulfull, which she co-founded with her spouse, Prashant Parameswaran, she said their decision to return to India stemmed from a desire to contribute to the country’s growth story. A key influence, she added, was Dr. MS Swaminathan - widely regarded as the ‘father of India’s Green Revolution’ - whose advocacy for creating commercial demand for nutritious, sustainable grains like millets deeply resonated with them and inspired their mission.

“At that time, we were toying with a grain called quinoa in the West. When we heard Dr Swaminathan say that millets have the same nutritional content as quinoa, but are one-fourth the price, that rang a bell for us.”

The duo moved back to India, and that's when Soulfull happened, she recounted. “We were three of us who started it, and I was leading the marketing function, because in the consumer brand space, especially in FMCG, marketing is extremely important.”

However, being a startup, funding was tight. “So, we started doing extensive marketing and learning on the go. What was key in this process was understanding consumer insights and knowing our consumer well. Only then could we do sharp marketing that would lead to strong ROI - again, an extremely important part of your P&L, when running a startup.”

Providing an overview of the breakfast cereal market in India, Rasika shared that it's an INR 6,000-7,000 crore category with a 20% annual growth rate. Highlighting key market trends, such as a focus on health and nutrition, authenticity, traditional taste, and convenience, she emphasised the importance of consumer-centric marketing and the role of traditional grains like ragi, bajra, and jowar in meeting these preferences.

She also underlined the effectiveness of PR and hyper-localised digital marketing in sparking conversations and involving influencers, particularly for new product developments.

“We often say that it's the ‘agility’ of Soulfull and the ‘might’ of Tata. Tata means trust in our country, and there are various pockets of India where consumers truly trust Tata because they believe that it stands for ethics and honesty. And being a part of the Tata aegis, I can vouch for it.”

She added, “Rebranding ourselves as Tata Soulfull significantly boosted the brand’s consideration in the minds of the consumer. Add to that the trust and credibility that no film star can bring in. I could probably have a celebrity on board for a faster go-to market, but the name ‘Tata’ itself lends the credibility that the consumer seeks so beautifully.”  

Rasika concluded the conversation by offering three key pieces of advice for young professionals entering the industry: value hard work, take ownership, and respect others. These qualities, she noted, are often scarce but highly valued and crucial for success in any profession.

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