Vadilal Industries has named Ravi Makwana as its new Chief Marketing Officer as competition intensifies in India’s ice-cream market. With prior leadership roles at Zydus Wellness, Tim Hortons India, Tata Consumer Products and Asian Paints, Makwana will lead marketing strategy and strengthen the brand’s presence during a pivotal phase of category growth.
Vadilal Industries has appointed Ravi Makwana as its new Chief Marketing Officer, reinforcing its leadership bench at a time when India’s ice-cream market is entering one of its most competitive and transformative phases. Makwana announced his new role through a LinkedIn post, sharing both professional excitement and a sense of personal nostalgia tied to the brand. His appointment signals Vadilal’s intent to sharpen its marketing strategy as the category witnesses rapid growth, aggressive expansion by incumbent players and the rise of new, disruptive formats.
For Vadilal, one of India’s most recognised ice-cream brands with a legacy spanning decades, the timing of this leadership move is significant. The Indian ice-cream segment is on the cusp of accelerated growth, driven by rising disposable incomes, expanding cold-chain infrastructure and changing consumption habits that increasingly favour indulgent and experiential food categories. At the same time, competition has intensified, with established brands stepping up innovation and distribution while newer players experiment with premium offerings, regional flavours and novel formats. In this evolving landscape, marketing leadership has emerged as a critical lever for differentiation and sustained growth.
Makwana steps into the role with a strong marketing pedigree shaped by experience across some of India’s most respected consumer brands. Prior to joining Vadilal, he was associated with Zydus Wellness, where he served as Category Head since May 2024. In that role, he worked on driving category strategy and strengthening brand propositions in the health and wellness space, a segment that demands a deep understanding of consumer trust, positioning and long-term brand building. His experience there adds a valuable dimension to his profile, particularly as food and beverage brands increasingly seek to balance indulgence with evolving consumer expectations around quality and transparency.
Earlier in his career, Makwana held senior marketing roles at Tim Hortons India, Tata Consumer Products and Asian Paints, organisations known for their disciplined approach to brand building and category leadership. At Tim Hortons India, he was part of a team working to establish and localise a global brand in the Indian market, navigating the complexities of consumer adoption, menu innovation and brand relevance. His tenure at Tata Consumer Products exposed him to the scale and diversity of a large FMCG portfolio, sharpening his skills in consumer strategy, portfolio management and growth planning. At Asian Paints, widely regarded as a benchmark for marketing excellence in India, Makwana gained experience in building strong, emotionally resonant brands supported by data-driven insights and executional rigour.
This diverse background positions Makwana well to take on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Vadilal. His LinkedIn announcement reflected not only professional enthusiasm but also a personal connection to the brand. “I am super excited to work on this very beloved brand that I so devoured growing up. Almost feels surreal to work on the brand that was hands down the best part of my childhood,” he wrote, underscoring the emotional equity Vadilal enjoys across generations of Indian consumers. Such nostalgia is a powerful asset in a category like ice cream, where memories, celebrations and everyday indulgence are deeply intertwined.
Makwana also pointed to the competitive intensity shaping the category’s future. “India is on a cusp of Ice Cream explosion and the Ice Cream wars have just begun. Both, incumbent brands getting aggressive as well as insurgents creating new categories and formats, it will be interesting to fight this out in the market,” he said. His comments capture the current mood of the industry, where growth opportunities are substantial but require sharp strategic choices, faster innovation cycles and differentiated brand narratives.
In his new role as CMO, Makwana is expected to lead Vadilal’s overall marketing strategy, strengthening brand presence and ensuring relevance in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. This will likely involve balancing the brand’s rich heritage with the need to appeal to younger, urban consumers who are exposed to global trends and premium experiences. Product innovation, communication strategy, digital engagement and distribution-led marketing will all be key focus areas as the company seeks to consolidate its leadership while responding to new competitive pressures.
Vadilal’s decision to bring in a seasoned marketer reflects a broader trend among Indian FMCG and food brands, where leadership teams are being strengthened to address changing consumer behaviour. Ice cream, once largely seasonal and price-driven, is increasingly becoming an all-year, lifestyle-oriented category. Consumers are experimenting with new flavours, formats and price points, and brands are responding with premium lines, health-forward variants and experiential retail concepts. Navigating this complexity requires marketing leaders who can combine strategic clarity with executional agility.
Makwana’s appointment also signals Vadilal’s ambition to remain at the forefront of category evolution rather than reacting to change. With competition heating up, brand salience and emotional connection will be as important as distribution reach and product quality. Marketing will play a central role in shaping how Vadilal tells its story, engages consumers across touchpoints and differentiates itself amid a crowded field.
Industry observers note that leadership moves like this often mark the beginning of renewed brand focus, with fresh perspectives helping legacy brands reinvent themselves without losing their core identity. For Vadilal, which enjoys strong recall and trust across markets, the challenge lies in staying contemporary while preserving the attributes that made it a household name. Makwana’s mix of experience across established giants and newer formats may prove valuable in striking this balance.
As the “ice cream wars” that Makwana alluded to begin to intensify, the role of the CMO will extend beyond traditional advertising to include innovation storytelling, partnerships, digital-first engagement and sharper consumer insights. With his track record in brand building and category growth, Makwana is expected to play a pivotal role in steering Vadilal through this next phase.
His appointment underscores the company’s belief that strong marketing leadership is essential to winning in a rapidly evolving category. As India’s ice-cream market heats up, Vadilal’s move to onboard Ravi Makwana as Chief Marketing Officer reflects both confidence in the brand’s legacy and readiness to compete aggressively for the future.
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