Vikram Malik

Independent Advisor · Mumbai

Growth doesn’t fail in strategy. It fails in execution.

I help companies unlock growth through sharper go-to-market strategy, stronger distribution systems, and disciplined market execution.

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  • 30+ Years Experience
  • India Markets Expertise
  • Beverages & FMCG Specialist
  • Operator + Advisor Perspective
Because the gap is often not demand. It is readiness. The Six Rights of Readiness™ — read the approach.

Who I work with

Four rooms. Pick the one that fits.

Founders & Emerging Brands

Founders building beverage & FMCG brands.

Distribution, GTM, pack architecture.

For Founders →

FMCG Leadership Teams

Sales, trade marketing & execution teams.

Productivity, channel growth, execution rhythm.

For Operators →

Investors & Funds

Funds, family offices, corp dev.

Market intelligence, pressure-tests, diligence.

For Investors →

Professionals (Career)

A candid sounding board for your career.

1:1 paid sessions on Topmate.

Career Mentorship →

The approach

I diagnose growth on six dimensions, not one.

Most growth conversations fixate on one lever — pricing, advertising, a new SKU, a new state. The lever may be real. The constraint usually isn’t there. After 30 years in the field, I look in six places: the Six Rights of Readiness™.

See the framework →

The Six Rights of Readiness framework — six labelled spokes around a central Readiness Index disc.
  1. 01Right Pack
  2. 02Right Outlet
  3. 03Right Visibility
  4. 04Right Cold Availability
  5. 05Right Economics
  6. 06Right Execution Rhythm

Areas I work in

Operating territory.

  • Go-to-Market Strategy
  • Trade Marketing
  • Sales Capability
  • Channel Design
  • Modern Trade
  • General Trade
  • Cooler Economics
  • Pack Architecture
  • Distributor Economics
  • Beat Productivity

Insights

Operator notes on Indian beverages.

Essay · ~7 min · DRAFT

Demand Is Not the Problem. Readiness Is.

In Indian beverages, demand exists at scale. What gates growth is what happens in the last hundred metres before the cooler door opens.

Read · ~7 min →

Essay · ~8 min · DRAFT

Cooler Is the Silent Salesman.

In a 40-degree market, the cooler is not a piece of trade equipment. It is the single most under-managed lever in Indian beverages.

Read · ~8 min →

Essay · ~8 min · DRAFT

Why ₹10 Packs Changed Indian Beverage Consumption.

The ₹10 single-serve PET did more than cut a price. It rebuilt the country's consumption architecture from the bottom up.

Read · ~8 min →

Essay · ~8 min · DRAFT

Why Large Brands Still Lose Locally.

National share is a number. Local readiness is a fact. The gap between the two is where regional and local players quietly take a hundred million consumers.

Read · ~8 min →

All insights →

Engage

Start a conversation.

A 30-minute call is the simplest way to figure out whether what I do fits what you’re working on. There is no preparation needed. Bring the question.

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