MUMBAI — Dinshaw’s Dairy Foods, a beloved ice cream maker in India since 1932, is gearing up for significant growth with a bold brand refresh and an expanded retail strategy. After maintaining a steady 10% annual growth, the company is targeting a 25% growth rate for fiscal year 2026 and aiming for a long-term compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%.
Zervin Rana, Director at Dinshaw’s, emphasized that while the brand will continue expanding its reach across multiple states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal, its focus is on increasing market share within existing territories. “Expanding market share in each region is key to strengthening brand equity and profitability,” he stated.
In pursuit of this goal, Dinshaw’s is making significant investments in physical retail. The company plans to add over 6,000 new outlets and 20-30 new parlours across India this year, complementing its established network of 45,000 retail points and 100 parlours. However, Rana acknowledged that the ice cream parlour model may no longer be as crucial for growth, citing high rental costs in urban areas and the rise of quick commerce as major factors contributing to the decline of parlours in tier-1 and tier-2 cities.
Quick commerce, on the other hand, is seen as a major growth lever for Dinshaw’s. “Quick commerce will become a key sales channel,” said Rana, noting that while maintaining profitability in this model could be challenging for mass brands, it remains an essential part of the company’s strategy. Currently, 99% of Dinshaw’s ice cream sales come from offline channels, but the company expects digital sales to contribute at least 10% of total revenues within the next two years.
Alongside its distribution strategy, Dinshaw’s has streamlined its product portfolio, eliminating sub-brands (except for its milk variants) to create a more cohesive and simplified brand structure. “We believe all our categories, including ice creams, dairy, bakery, and namkeen, have significant growth potential,” said Rana, confident in the company’s ability to maintain 15-20% growth across these segments.
A Fresh Scoop of Identity
The company’s brand overhaul, which was rolled out this March just before peak ice cream season, marks a new chapter for Dinshaw’s. The legacy brand, which has been an integral part of Indian summers for decades, faced a challenge in its brand perception. Despite having great products, Dinshaw’s had low brand equity, according to Rana. This realization sparked the comprehensive brand refresh, which was driven by the need to stay relevant in an evolving consumer landscape.
The brand’s new identity was developed over 18 months with the guidance of brand strategist Malvika Mehra, now Dinshaw’s Creative Head of Marketing. Mehra, along with agency partners and internal teams, conducted a deep dive into every aspect of the brand—from product formulation to design, communication, and brand architecture.
The redesign began with the logo, which had to balance the legacy of founder Mr. Dinshaw Rana’s signature with a modern, bold identity. The result: a striking red “D” that is instantly recognizable and works well across digital platforms, packaging, and retail touchpoints. “The ‘D’ serves as a powerful mnemonic in today’s digital world with short attention spans,” Mehra explained.
The packaging also underwent a major transformation. Previously cluttered with multiple sub-brands, Dinshaw’s simplified its portfolio and created a unified design system anchored by the new logo. This new identity is reflected across all product categories—ice creams, dairy, bakery, and namkeen—ensuring consistency in visual language and enhancing brand recognition in retail environments.
In addition to the refreshed visual identity, Dinshaw’s is preparing to launch a new brand film by mid-April, supported by an extensive marketing campaign across digital, print, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, and point-of-sale materials. The company’s revamped brand presence is already visible across its four core categories, signaling a new era for the iconic ice cream maker as it looks to capture more market share and cater to a broader, digitally savvy consumer base.
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