The market witnessed considerable disruption following the implementation of the new taxation system, particularly with regard to grammage and packaging, and almost all brands were affected. According to Mahesh Gupta, the market has now largely returned to normal, with most brands once again showing availability similar to the pre-taxation period.
However, while some brands benefited from the circumstances created by the new tax structure, certain products had to struggle significantly to protect their sales and market share.
Mahesh Gupta currently handles TRDP Group’s Director, Raj Niwas and Coollips, along with Bagwan Zarda and Jaljeera. He says that Bagwan is selling well, but Jaljeera has recorded sales at a record level. Demand for tobacco also remains strong across the Northeast market.
His portfolio also includes Ashirwad Zarda, Signal, Ratna, as well as Master Foods’ Gulkand and Tutti Frutti.
Director Has Created Its Own Consumer Base
According to Mahesh Gupta, Director pan masala has been consistently improving its performance. It is selling across Assam, but Upper Assam is delivering the strongest response.
The most significant development is that Director has gradually created its own distinct consumer base.
The ₹20 pack of Director is also selling in the market, but the ₹10 pack remains the strongest contributor to its sales. Mahesh Gupta believes that the brand’s consistent market presence, product quality and strong company support have helped Director establish a distinct identity in the Northeast.
Vimal 5000 Gains Rapid Momentum
Speaking about the regular pan masala segment, Mahesh Gupta said that Vimal has received a tremendous jump in sales. According to him, Vimal 5000 has achieved several-fold growth in the Northeast and is now giving strong competition to Shikhar, the region’s number-one brand.
The locally emerging brand X Gold, which grew rapidly during the new taxation phase, has also established a presence in the market. According to Mahesh Gupta, X Gold benefited after Tara exited the market and subsequently recorded significant growth.
However, its sales were affected to some extent when almost all major brands once again became strongly available in the market.
Different Pockets, Different Brands in Sweet Supari
The Northeast sweet supari market is also quite distinctive. According to Mahesh Gupta, several brands—including Tinku, Bablu, Sunny, Ladli, Sweety, Kali and IPL—are active in the region.
Almost all of these brands have developed their own strong sales territories or ‘pockets’. There is no single brand dominating the entire market. Instead, different brands hold strong positions in different geographical areas.
This is one of the distinctive characteristics of the Northeast market—alongside national brands, there is also considerable space for local and regional brands.
Company Support and Ground-Level Presence: The Key to Success
Mahesh Gupta does not attribute Director’s success solely to product quality. According to him, the company provides full support, while the company and its team remain consistently focused on marketing activities.
He says that whenever required, the company has provided more support than expected.
However, company support delivers results in the market only when the distributor himself remains active on the ground. Mahesh Gupta is an example of this approach. He regularly travels across Northeast markets and closely monitors the actual position of the brand.
According to him, there is hardly any part of Assam or the Northeast where he has not personally visited to assess the brand’s position.
He keeps a direct watch on product availability, retailer response, sales momentum and the activity level of the sales team. This ground-level monitoring has played an important role in helping Director continue to move forward.
In a diverse and pocket-driven market like the Northeast, having a large distribution network alone is not enough. A brand needs to maintain consistent availability, build strong relationships with distributors and retailers, and quickly understand changing market conditions.
Mahesh Gupta’s approach appears to be built around precisely this philosophy.
Director has established its position in the Northeast not merely through distribution, but through a combination of quality, consistent availability, strong company support and a robust ground-level network. This is why the brand continues to strengthen its position in Assam, particularly in Upper Assam.