Wipro Consumer eyes regional brand buys with Rs 7,000 cr reserve

Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting is evaluating a fresh round of acquisitions, supported by a Rs 6,000–7,000 crore corpus and the ability to raise additional debt if required. Chief executive Vineet Agrawal said the company continues to examine regional brands that can deepen its presence in fast-growing, higher-margin categories across personal care and packaged foods.

The firm, part of the Azim Premji-owned group, has previously acquired close to two dozen domestic and overseas brands, including Glucovita, Nirapara, Brahmins, Chandrika and Yardley. Agrawal noted that reinvested earnings allow the company to consider new targets without relying heavily on external funding. “Because the family doesn't take out dividends, our war chest is very good, and our treasury is big. So, if we want to acquire, we have enough money even without debt,” he said.

While the company is assessing three to four potential deals at any time, Agrawal added that certain categories—such as southern spice brands—offer strong demand but structurally lower margins, making them less attractive. The company is instead focusing on new-age personal-care segments like liquid detergents, fabric conditioners, body washes and fragrances, which are growing faster than legacy categories.

Agrawal said acquiring regional brands often provides stronger local traction and a more efficient path to scale than building new products from scratch.