MUMBAI, Aug. 28 -- The delivery app notification comes in under ten minutes, and what it delivers is now the most consequential variable in five quarterly earnings reports. In Q1 FY27, Nestle India's early positioning in premium products and quick-commerce channels translated into a 48.3 percent jump in net profit to Rs.975 crore. Marico's pivot into premium edible oils and hair care delivered 11 percent domestic volume growth - the company's strongest in five years. For Hindustan Unilever, Dabur, and Britannia, the quarter was solid: revenue grew across the board, margins held or expanded, and none posted a loss. But none of them came close to the velocity that Nestle and Marico printed.

India's FMCG sector is splitting on premium produ...