Sudhir Goel says that while competition is intense, the scale of the Indian market allows multiple players to coexist
Riding on the rising shift towards value-driven consumption in the appliances segment, Acerpure, a consumer electronics brand, is is targeting over 100 per cent year-on-year growth while sharpening its positioning as a technology-led challenger in a crowded market, Acer India’s Chief Business Officer (CBO) Sudhir Goel said.
In an interview with BW Businessworld, Goel noted that this growth push is being driven by a calibrated mix of local manufacturing, category expansion and a clear focus on non-metro markets. While large appliances such as televisions and air conditioners are entirely manufactured in India, the company is now evaluating localisation opportunities in select small appliance categories, with no cap on investments.
“There is no limit that we will do only this much investment because the objective is clear, we have to grow our market share. We work on the calendar year. January to December 2026 growth should be definitely 100 per cent plus over 2025 and 2027 should be 100 per cent plus over 2026. That will come by adding the new product lines and then growing deeper into the current product lines,” Sudhir Goel explained.
Investment And Manufacturing
Acerpure’s India expansion is being backed by an open-ended investment strategy, with the company prioritising market share gains over predefined capital allocation. Goel made it clear that there is no fixed cap on investments, as the focus remains on building a sustainable and scalable business.
“There is no limit… the objective is clear, we have to grow our market share year on year, month on month, quarter on quarter,” he said, adding that the group will continue to invest “as much as required for sustainable business growth.”
On the manufacturing front, the company has already localised its large appliance portfolio, while taking a phased approach for smaller categories. Goel noted that “large appliances like televisions and air conditioners are 100 per cent manufactured in India,” and any new additions in this segment will also be locally produced.
However, smaller appliances, such as fans, air purifiers, kitchen appliances and vacuum cleaners, are currently fully imported. The company now plans to selectively localise these categories based on scale and market potential.
“We will pick up the categories where we want to be a substantial player, where we want to say yes, we want to have a market share and those we will move the manufacturing to India,” he said, adding that decisions on the first set of categories are expected in the next three to four months.
Challenger To Legacy Brands
In a market crowded with legacy giants and emerging D2C brands, Acerpure is positioning itself as a value-driven challenger, leveraging the strength of its parent brand to build trust and differentiation. Goel emphasised that while competition is intense, the scale of the Indian market allows multiple players to coexist, making it critical for brands to clearly articulate their value proposition.
“Acerpure is a new brand, but there is Acer in that,” he said, highlighting the advantage of brand recall and consumer familiarity with Acer’s technology credentials. “They associate with that… while in the appliance market we are new, it is still the same Acer.” This association, he noted, gives Acerpure a head start as it looks to compete with established players.
“We do not want to dilute the Acer brand. The mother brand has to be kept right. The core has to be there,” he added.
Rather than choosing between premium and mass segments, Acerpure is carving out a mass-premium space, offering feature-rich products at competitive pricing. “We want to keep the same concept of Acer, fresh technology at affordable price,” he noted, underlining that the brand’s differentiation will hinge on delivering meaningful features that consumers value, while undercutting legacy players on pricing.
At the core of its strategy is a dual focus on technology and affordability. The brand is not positioning itself as a basic appliance player, but as a technology-first offering that remains accessible. “We are positioning ourselves as a technology brand… we will not be offering the product only as a basic feature, we will be offering technology,” Goel said, adding that the aim is to deliver “latest technology, latest design, but at the same time be price conscious.”
Online Channels And Non-metros
Goel added that the company is adopting a sharply segmented omnichannel strategy, recognising that appliance buying behaviour varies significantly across categories. While digital channels are gaining traction, Goel pointed out that large appliances in India continue to be dominated by offline retail, driven by the need for physical interaction and trust.
“Large appliance market is still dominated in India by offline, by a big margin,” he said, attributing this to the “touch and feel” factor and the confidence consumers derive from nearby retailers for after-sales support. However, he added that online platforms play a critical role in the decision-making journey.
For smaller appliances, the channel mix shifts more decisively towards digital. Targeted at younger, nuclear households and working couples, categories such as vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and personal care devices are seeing stronger traction on e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. “For them, quick commerce and ecommerce becomes an important play… so that is how we segregate and how the go-to-market (GTM) focuses,” Goel explained.
Currently, online contributes around 20 per cent of revenue in categories like televisions, and while this share is expected to grow, Goel sees a natural ceiling. “Our gut feeling is between 20 to 25 per cent is the max which online will contribute to larger appliances,” he noted.
Beyond channels, the company is also betting heavily on non-metro markets. “For a challenger brand like this, 80 per cent plus revenue actually comes from non-metros,” he said, underscoring the role of rising aspirations and deeper market penetration in driving growth.
Key Growth Driver And A Better Summer
Televisions currently anchor Acerpure’s growth, with the category emerging as its largest revenue contributor. Goel highlighted that the brand has moved past the initial setup phase in this segment and is now entering a scale-up stage.
“TV was our biggest category… our initial setup stage is over,” he said, adding that the company has already sold over 1,00,000 units and built a distribution network of around 1,400 channels, creating a strong base for further expansion.
At the same time, air conditioners are being positioned as the next big growth driver. While still a relatively new focus category, the company expects ACs to quickly catch up with televisions in terms of revenue contribution.
“We do hope that the air conditioner in the next three months is able to catch up,” Goel noted, underlining the brand’s aggressive push in this segment. The broader industry outlook is also turning favourable after a muted year. Goel pointed out that the AC market is expected to rebound in 2026, supported by channel feedback and inventory corrections.
“Last year was muted… we do expect that this year the air conditioner market should bounce back,” he said, indicating improved demand conditions and a more optimistic growth environment for the category.
