One of the Gitanjali Group’s notable innovations has been its dramatic breakthrough from the confines of traditional distribution of jewellery.

Anticipating the sea change in consumer buying habits in India, it not only launched into production of machine-made jewellery using CAD/CAM processes, but also India’s first jewellery brand – Gili in diamond jewellery.

To provide adequate outlets for these larger volumes of product, it made another breakthrough: it launched mass distribution through a variety of channels. As the liberalized market economy kicked in, and consumers got a taste of a whole new buying experience in keeping with their increasing disposable incomes, the Group set up new distribution channels.

And, bypassing the old world of neighbourhood proprietary jewellery stores, it brought its new-world branded jewellery into the new world of superstores and department stores, dedicated jewellery marts and chain stores.

It placed its jewellery brands right into the context of the new consumer’s shopping environment of new and global branded personal goods and accessories. Its brands it supported with high-visibility positional branding in both mass and local, upmarket media.

As part of its strategic branding of jewellery, it created brands for retail distribution as well as B-to-B brands it offered only for wholesalers.

With success in these initiative the Group was able to make other successful forays into branded jewellery retail in the US, acquiring three upmarket store chains of excellent repute. And it signed up niche global designer brands to distribute along with its own brands.

And it optimized the synergy of its hamper of over 40 brands, owned and franchised, by launching its own umbrella branded retail chain, Gitanjali Lifestyle. This fits right in with the Group’s plans for extending its brands into a number of luxury lifestyle artefacts and accessories.

With this multi-tiered mobilization of formats, the Gitanjali Group is well placed to advance and realize its vision of global leadership.