‘We are able to win because we can recognize what’s coming next’

exchange4media's Pitch BrandTalk seminar witnessed several industry leaders share their brand journeys. Pawan Gadia, Global CEO, Ferns N Petals, spoke about the company’s inception in 1994 to its growth to a Rs 2,500-crore company.

After starting with selling flowers in a bucket, FnP started getting invited to decorate flowers for weddings. They then opened wedding banquets in order to capitalize on that market. In the early 2000s, when the internet was just introduced to the world, the company received its first online order.

“We reached out to other internet platforms after realised that there are more cities to add.”

The company also expanded into savouries. “We started a brand called Chatak Chaat. We decided to sell it very aggressively. Within a month we were able to open 40-odd outlets but we also made losses.”

Gadia also told the audience about his learning from travelling across countries for business. He shared that they were always hustlers in understanding on how to grow and run a good business. When he used to travel to the US, the airlines offered to earn miles and one could redeem flowers from through these miles.

“We thought this is a brilliant idea of acquiring more consumers. So, we replicated the same. On some days the boarding pass used to have the FnP logo on the back side of the boarding pass. We also continued to do that with Just Dial, Tata Sky and the growth was phenomenal”

Talking about the company’s journey and the internet explosion, Gadia shared that in 2011, they started the Google pay-per-click (PPC) thing and the entire ecosystem of search on Google exploded, and the sales started going up.

Speaking on the expansion of the business overseas, Gadia said, “Today in real terms, we are a multinational company present in India as well as three more countries and add another three more countries coming in the next two weeks.”

Gadia shared that along with their flower business, consumers also loved their cakes. The company has 250 franchises selling flowers and 150 franchises that sells cakes. They are present in more than 125 cities across the country. They have also started a hotel chain and four properties in Delhi NCR. 

Gadia shared that they have another brand called Baby Bless.

Talking about their successful journey, he said, “I think the reason why we are able to win is that we were able to recognize what is coming next. We realised now, that today the fact that everything is personalized, so we have invested in personalization.”

Gadia closed his speech by saying, “We have a long way to go whether it is in the expansion of categories or distribution. The template is ready.”