Biscuits & Confectioneries
Consumer Goods, Quick Commerce, and the Reality of Gen Z
In this episode of Bizom’s Masters of Change podcast, Abdullah Khalid speaks with Swarnim Saxena, Head of MT & Ecom at Orion India, about how Gen Z consumers are reshaping retail, branding, snacking, and workplace culture in India. From quick commerce and Instagram influence to brand loyalty and the future of physical retail, the conversation explores why Gen Z is often misunderstood and what brands need to do to stay relevant with India’s largest generational cohort.
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1. Introduction and Journey
Tell us a little about your journey and why you chose FMCG as a career.
Swarnim: I’ve been in FMCG for around 11 years now. I started with Mars Petcare, and even before that I always loved food, packaged products, and consumer brands.
Growing up, I remember watching the famous Amul campaigns and being fascinated by how consumer brands become part of everyday life. During my MBA, I realised I wanted to work in an industry where products directly touch consumers every single day.
That’s what makes FMCG special. Whether it’s food, beverages, snacks, or daily essentials, these are products people interact with constantly. Few industries have that level of emotional and cultural connection.
2. Gen Z’s as Influencers for Household Purchases
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say Gen Z?
Swarnim: Honestly, the first thing I think about is the Gen Z people I work with.
They are analytical, self-aware, and extremely clear about work-life balance. That’s something I genuinely admire about them. They actively pursue interests outside work and don’t define themselves only through their careers.
A major difference is that Gen Z has grown up with greater prosperity and much more global exposure compared to millennials. Many millennials grew up understanding scarcity. We were the generation where parents would say, “You can buy something, but only one.”
Gen Z, especially urban Gen Z, has grown up with more choice, more information, and constant internet access. That naturally changes how they think.
But fundamentally, I don’t think they are radically different from previous generations. They are simply more informed and more vocal.
Today’s Gen Z seems far more assertive. Do you think they are influencing buying decisions at home?
Swarnim: The answer requires nuance because India does not have one single Gen Z audience.
Urban Gen Z in metros and tier-one cities behaves very differently from Gen Z in smaller towns or rural areas. Their exposure, aspirations, and purchasing power are completely different.
That said, younger consumers today definitely influence brand exploration inside households. The categories themselves may remain the same, but the brands people choose are changing.
For example, families may still buy biscuits or snacks, but younger consumers may push parents to try newer formats or emerging brands. They are more open to experimentation.
However, the final purchase decision still depends on two things:
- the openness of parents
- the economic realities of the household
3. Brand Loyalty and Social Media Influence on Purchase Decisions
Are Gen Z consumers trying products because they’re genuinely better, or simply because they look good on Instagram?
Swarnim: Experimentation is human nature. If something looks exciting, trendy, or visually appealing, people will try it.
But repeat purchase depends on quality, trust, and value.
Instagram may drive discovery, but it cannot sustain a product that doesn’t deliver. That’s why legacy brands continue to survive despite the rise of new-age brands.
Take brands like Parle or Amul. They have survived for decades because they built trust over time.
Consumers may experiment widely, especially younger audiences, but loyalty still comes from product experience.
If Gen Z keeps experimenting, what happens to brand loyalty?
Swarnim: Brand loyalty comes from repeated positive experiences.
A brand like Coca-Cola survives not just because of taste, but because it continuously evolves while maintaining familiarity.
I recently heard that Diet Coke is among the fastest-selling soft drinks on some quick commerce platforms. That’s fascinating in a country where sugar-heavy products dominate consumption.
The lesson is simple: Gen Z will stay loyal if the brand continues to remain relevant, innovative, and valuable.
Every generation is shaped by the economic realities of its time. We saw the same thing globally with the Baby Boomer generation after World War II. Each generation appears radically different in its own era.
Eventually, what matters is whether brands continue to resonate with consumers.
Often younger creators are seen using only new-age products online. Is that a sign legacy brands are losing relevance?
Swarnim: Not necessarily.
Social media is not always a reflection of real life. Sometimes people showcase products because they genuinely love them. Sometimes it’s aspirational. Sometimes it’s commercial.
But every successful legacy brand was once a new product too.
Every product has a day zero.
What seems niche today can become mainstream tomorrow. That’s how markets evolve.
4. Gen Z’s Influencing the Growth of Quick Commerce
There’s a common stereotype that Gen Z is lazy. Do you agree?
Swarnim: Not at all.
I’ve worked with incredibly hardworking Gen Z professionals. I’ve seen young team members stay late during critical projects, take ownership, coordinate operations, and push themselves far beyond expectations.
This “lazy Gen Z” narrative ignores the reality of India.
The delivery executive working 12-hour shifts is also Gen Z.
The young field salesperson travelling daily is also Gen Z.
This generation is not lazy. They simply value balance and clarity differently.
Is the success of quick commerce driven by convenience or by consumer impatience?
Swarnim: Convenience has always existed in India. The local kirana store has been delivering products to homes long before apps existed.
What quick commerce did was formalise and scale that convenience.
It removed friction.
Consumers can now order products anytime without hesitation or judgement. The second advantage is assortment. Quick commerce platforms provide far more product choices than traditional neighbourhood stores.
That combination of speed and discovery is powerful.
Are Gen Z consumers still interested in visiting physical stores?
Swarnim: Absolutely.
Retail stores survive when they create experiences, not just transactions.
Look at Decathlon or IKEA. People visit because shopping itself becomes enjoyable.
The same principle applies to FMCG retail as well. Consumers still enjoy discovering products physically, browsing shelves, and spending time in stores.
Physical retail is not disappearing. It simply needs to become more experiential.
5. Cultural Shift
Do you think social media amplification is what makes Gen Z feel so culturally dominant?
Swarnim: Definitely.
Today, ideas spread instantly. One opinion can quickly snowball into a larger cultural narrative because everyone has access to platforms and audiences.
Earlier generations didn’t have this level of amplification. Today, even niche opinions can feel mainstream because of how social media ecosystems work.
That changes how we perceive trends, behaviours, and even entire generations.
6. What Gen Z actually wants at work?
My own perception of Gen Z at work changed completely after managing a younger team. I realised if you give them purpose and make work enjoyable, they deliver exceptionally well.
Swarnim: I completely agree.
Young employees need:
- trust
- ownership
- exposure
- encouragement
I was fortunate to work under leaders who gave me freedom early in my career, even when some of my ideas were completely crazy.
That freedom helped me grow.
India’s Gen Z population is massive. They are not the future anymore. They are the present. How organisations mentor and support them today will shape the future workforce of the country.
7. Final Thoughts
The biggest takeaway from the conversation is simple: Gen Z is often misunderstood because people focus too much on stereotypes and too little on context.
This generation is more informed, more expressive, and more exposed than any generation before it. But at its core, consumer behaviour still revolves around timeless fundamentals:
- trust
- value
- relevance
- convenience
- experience
Whether it’s quick commerce, brand loyalty, workplace culture, or retail evolution, the brands and organisations that succeed will be the ones that evolve alongside consumers without losing authenticity.