In his new role, Saksena will lead the FMCG business strategy, merchandising, sourcing, and P&L management for the company. With nearly three decades of experience across traditional trade, modern retail, and eB2B commerce, he is expected to strengthen the company’s FMCG growth trajectory and enhance operational efficiency across its expanding store network.

A Retail Veteran with Deep FMCG Expertise

Saksena joins Vishal Mega Mart after a nearly three-year stint at Reliance Retail, where he most recently served as Chief Growth Officer at Metro Wholesale. During this period, he played a pivotal role in transforming the erstwhile JioMart Partner eB2B platform into the Metro omnichannel wholesale format, a strategic integration that helped accelerate B2B commerce for the group.

One of the most notable achievements during this phase was the opening of 165 stores within six months, a rapid expansion that underscored the company’s aggressive omnichannel push in the wholesale and kirana supply ecosystem.

Earlier within Reliance Retail, Saksena also led merchandising and FMCG strategy for the India operations of 7-Eleven, where he helped establish the FMCG merchandising framework for the convenience format and contributed to 35 store launches in the Mumbai region.

Turning Around Large-Scale FMCG Businesses

Prior to joining Reliance Retail, Saksena spent over four years as Senior Vice President and Head of FMCG Business at METRO Cash & Carry India (also known as MAKRO in certain markets). There he led the transformation of the FMCG vertical into a ₹3,800 crore business with double-digit margins, turning the previously loss-making unit into a profitable growth engine.

Operating across 18 cities with over 12,000 SKUs and 600+ vendor partnerships, the business became the company’s largest revenue contributor, with strong gains driven by sharper assortment strategy, vendor collaborations, and structured joint business planning with key FMCG suppliers.

His earlier experience includes more than eight years with Walmart, where he held multiple leadership roles, including Head of Private Brands Business. In that role, he led product development and merchandising across multiple categories—FMCG, fresh produce, staples, general merchandise and apparel—while also driving significant share gains for Walmart’s private labels. His performance earned him a place on Walmart’s Global Private Brand Strategy Team.

Foundations at Hindustan Unilever

Saksena began his career with Hindustan Unilever Limited, widely regarded as one of India’s most rigorous training grounds for FMCG leaders. Over 11 years, he rose from Sales Officer to Area Sales Manager, gaining extensive experience in sales, distribution networks, trade marketing, and category management across North India.

This early exposure to traditional trade and distributor-led markets helped shape his understanding of India’s complex retail ecosystem, from kirana stores to modern retail formats.

A Career Built on Transformation and Growth

Reflecting on his professional journey, Saksena describes himself as a continuous learner who has built his career through performance and cross-functional experience rather than formal qualifications alone. Over the years, he has worked across multiple functions including sales, category management, merchandising, vendor management, product development, and large-scale business transformation.

“I’ve always believed in learning continuously and building businesses that operate profitably. Running businesses successfully requires discipline, performance consistency and strong partnerships across the ecosystem,” Saksena has said about his professional philosophy.

Strategic Importance for Vishal Mega Mart

The appointment comes at a time when Vishal Mega Mart is scaling its value retail proposition across fashion, grocery and daily essentials, catering to price-conscious consumers in both metro and smaller cities.

With FMCG forming a crucial traffic-driving category for value retail chains, Saksena’s experience across large-format retail, wholesale distribution, and omnichannel commerce is expected to help strengthen merchandising strategy, vendor partnerships and margin management for the company.

His appointment signals Vishal Mega Mart’s intent to further deepen its FMCG capabilities as competition intensifies in India’s rapidly evolving value grocery and discount retail market.

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The promotion, which transitioned from initial discussions to a large-scale retail execution, is aimed at introducing Indian consumers to authentic South African flavors and gourmet offerings. The curated range spans food and beverage categories positioned within Reliance Retail’s premium food formats.

The event was held in the presence of former South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs and Gidian Labane, Consul General, South Africa in Mumbai. Their participation underlined the cultural and trade significance of the collaboration.

Damodar Mall, CEO, Reliance Retail Grocery, also attended, underscoring the company’s commitment to expanding its global product portfolio. His presence added weight to the initiative, which highlights Reliance Retail’s ongoing strategy to strengthen international partnerships while diversifying its premium assortment for Indian customers.

By integrating products from South Africa’s Western Cape into its retail formats, Reliance Retail continues to expand consumer access to international gourmet experiences and strengthen its positioning in the premium food and grocery segment.

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Aimed at redefining everyday cooking convenience while preserving authentic Indian flavours, ZOFF Foods’ Quick Homestyle Food range offers urban consumers a simplified cooking experience without the need for chopping, grinding, or lengthy preparation. The 5-Minute Gravies are crafted to deliver a rich, slow-cooked taste in a fraction of the time, with variants including Paneer Gravy and Magic Mix Gravy (vegetarian), as well as Chicken Gravy and Mutton Gravy (non-vegetarian). The 1-Minute Marinades are designed to eliminate time-consuming prep while maintaining the depth of traditional Indian marinades, with options like Paneer Tikka (vegetarian), Chicken Chettinad, Fish Fry, and Tandoori Chicken (non-vegetarian), catering to diverse regional flavour preferences. All perishable ingredients; such as paneer, fish, chicken, meat, soya, and mushroom; are to be added fresh, offering greater control over taste, hygiene, and overall meal quality.

Talking about the partnership and expansion, Akash Agrawalla, Co-Founder, ZOFF Foods, stated, “Indian kitchens are celebrated for their rich traditions and the love poured into every meal. At ZOFF Foods, we honour these culinary roots while embracing the evolving needs of today’s home cooks. With our 5-minute gravies and 1-minute marinades, we are introducing a convenient solution for today’s fast-paced lifestyles, without compromising on flavour or quality. Having built our reputation on delivering clean, high-quality whole spices, and this new launch is a natural extension of our promise, with a clear vision: “Ab poora India cook karega.’ We’re bringing authenticity and ease together in every pack. Through our strategic partnerships with Reliance Retail, we are making these innovations more accessible, reaching 400+ stores by July 2025 and helping consumers experience convenience like never before.”

Ashish Agrawal shared, “Akash and I have always shared a vision to bring innovation to Indian kitchens while staying true to the roots of purity and authenticity. This marks a significant step, not just for us, but for how Indian households can experience flavor, freshness, and convenience in new ways. Our evolving range, from whole spices to ready-to-cook gravies and marinades, reflects our commitment to clean-label, unadulterated food that meets modern needs while honoring our culinary heritage.”

As India’s food preferences increasingly lean toward health and convenience, ZOFF Foods is carving its space at the intersection of culinary tradition and modern innovation. Its foray into the Quick Homestyle Foods category represents more than a portfolio expansion, it’s a natural evolution toward becoming a complete kitchen solutions brand. With a rapidly growing offline footprint through Reliance Retail and a sharp focus on the time-conscious modern Indian consumer, ZOFF is poised to redefine the Ready-to-Cook segment. This launch brings home-style flavours to the table in minutes—free from preservatives, excess salt, or additives. Building on its leadership in the whole and blended spices segment, ZOFF’s next chapter is rooted in delivering convenience without compromise, straight from the kitchen shelves to everyday Indian homes.

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Kumar’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment as Keya Foods accelerates its expansion into the Rs. 20,000 crore daily essentials and spices market. His strategic insight and experience in building high-growth categories are expected to play a critical role in the brand’s next phase of growth.

Keya Foods has recently reasserted its market presence with high-visibility campaigns during the IPL and across outdoor platforms, positioning itself as the preferred brand for quality-conscious consumers. The company is now focused on deepening its presence in general trade (GT) and modern trade (MT) through enhanced distribution and innovation.

The leadership expressed confidence that Kumar’s addition signals continued momentum and underscores Keya’s commitment to category leadership. Over the coming weeks, he will collaborate closely with the leadership team and connect with regional sales and distribution teams nationwide.

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This pivot follows a period of reluctance among legacy players, now grappling with shrinking market share in urban centres. According to NielsenIQ’s January–March 2025 report, ecommerce volumes soared by 40%, while traditional trade dipped 2.2% and modern trade declined 7.7%.

“There is a shift towards ecommerce in metros, with high shopping engagement impacting share of modern trade and kiranas,” the report noted.

Reliance Retail is among the frontrunners of this transformation. The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Dinesh Taluja, confirmed that dark stores are being deployed in “dark pockets” where traditional outlets cannot meet the 30-minute delivery benchmark. “We want to deliver online orders in less than 30 minutes,” he said, noting that volume thresholds and gaps in store coverage are key factors driving the rollout.

More Retail, jointly owned by Amazon and Samara Capital, has already launched 45 dark stores, including several in Delhi, and plans to add 100 more. The company has exited its physical store operations in Delhi and is now eyeing Mumbai for expansion.

“In markets where we already have stores—like Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Cochin—we will convert hybrid outlets into dark stores as online demand matures,” said Vinod Nambiar, Managing Director, More Retail. He added that the retailer is also operating standalone dark stores in cities with no physical footprint. More Retail is currently Amazon Fresh’s largest preferred seller in India, strengthening its role as a key backend partner.

Spencer’s Retail is taking a more cautious approach. The company has launched a pilot dark store in Kolkata to test feasibility in areas with limited store-based coverage. CEO Anuj Singh said the initiative supports Spencer’s growing quick commerce business, which currently processes 1.7 lakh orders per month, with plans to scale to three lakh by expanding into cities like Lucknow and Varanasi.

The rapid adoption of dark stores comes amid rising online purchase frequency, growing basket sizes, and dense urban living—factors that are reshaping the grocery delivery landscape. As more Indian households become accustomed to the convenience of on-demand service, dark stores are emerging as a critical component of the urban retail infrastructure.

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The strategic partnership has been at the forefront of addressing one of urban India’s most critical challenges – efficient and responsible waste management – across 45+ Reliance Smart stores and 28 Sahkari Bhandar outlets, setting new benchmarks for responsible retailing in urban India. Since the inception of the partnership in 2019, Reliance Retail and Green Practices have effectively managed waste through advanced segregation, composting, and recycling systems, ensuring that the majority of waste collected is repurposed. This approach significantly reduces landfill dependency and minimizes environmental impact. To date, the initiative has managed over 48 lakh tonnes of waste, averaging more than 77 thousand tonnes per month.

Reflecting on the impactful association, Vinay Adhye, Vice President and Business Head, Reliance Retail, stated, “Sustainability is at the core of our business philosophy. At Reliance, we are committed to minimizing our environmental impact while maximizing operations. Our partnership with Green Practices is about redefining responsible retailing. Together, we hope to demonstrate that sustainability and operational efficiency can go hand in hand.”

Mana Shah, Founder, Green Practices, added, “Our partnership with Reliance Retail has been a powerful example of how strategic associations can drive meaningful environmental change. We are integrating circular economy principles into retail operations, and therefore transforming waste into valuable resources. Through this, we hope to inspire industry-wide change.”

As sustainability remains a core focus for responsible businesses, the partnership of Reliance Retail and Green Practices sets a powerful example in urban waste management.

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In a parallel development, the company’s Premium Brands division has formed a joint venture with Mothercare PLC, acquiring the brand and its intellectual property rights for the Indian subcontinent. This partnership reinforces Reliance Retail’s position in the growing market for parenting and childcare products.

Reliance Retail has previously introduced prominent luxury brands to India, including Tiffany & Co., the renowned American jeweler, and Sandro, a global fashion label. The company has also ventured into hospitality by launching EL&N, the London-based café chain, in the Indian market.

In addition to its luxury retail endeavors, Reliance Retail continues to expand its footprint in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. Its consumer brands division reported revenues exceeding Rs. 8,000 crore during the first nine months of FY25. Notable brands such as Campa and Independence have demonstrated significant growth, with Campa capturing over 10% market share in the sparkling beverage category in select states. The company remains committed to deepening its reach in general trade channels and strengthening its position in India’s FMCG landscape.

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