We are incredibly pleased to announce that Cocoguru Coconut Oil is now available at Reliance Retail Smart Stores! This Navaratri has indeed been auspicious—Goddess Durga has truly showered her blessings on us. For a small local brand like ours, this is a significant breakthrough. Years of building the brand have paid off, with Reliance choosing Cocoguru among many coconut oil brands.

Cocoguru is a unique coconut oil brand from coastal Karnataka, known for being:

• One of the few to have a detailed website explaining the product and the company
• Well-established on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart
• Run by a team of professionals in an organised manner
• The first to introduce roasted coconut oil specifically for cooking
• Focused on automation and technology in operations
• Committed to offering purity and quality at an affordable price
• Maintaining hygiene and cleanliness in the workplace and greenery on campus
• Providing ESI, PF, health, and accident insurance to its employees

When we launched Cocoguru, many well-wishers asked whether the product was available in supermarkets like More, Big Bazaar, or Reliance Fresh. It used to be a little embarrassing to say no, although we often cited excuses such as low pricing demands and long payment cycles. Around twelve years ago, we explored getting Cocoguru into supermarkets in Bengaluru, only to realise how far we still had to go.

What It Takes to Enter Modern Trade

Supermarkets have limited shelf space and need to optimise it with only the most in-demand brands. It’s not about the cheapest product or the best trade terms, but about what the consumer truly prefers. Products that consistently deliver quality, are attractively packaged, and are reasonably priced stand the best chance of making it onto those shelves.

Challenges for Local Brands in Supermarket Chains

Retail chains usually impose highly one-sided trade terms that favour the retailer. For small local brands, the only option is often to agree to all the terms. These include hefty listing fees, display charges, security deposits, and long credit periods—all of which can be financially overwhelming.

How Did Reliance Take Interest in Cocoguru?

When Reliance opened its Smart Store in Puttur, it immediately gained popularity due to its aggressive pricing, wide assortment, and convenience. Cocoguru, being a highly popular brand in Puttur, was noticeably missing from their shelves. Every day, many customers enquired about Cocoguru at Reliance. Shoppers would purchase all other groceries from Reliance and step out to buy Cocoguru coconut oil separately. The store manager repeatedly communicated this demand to the central purchase team.

We pitched our product to Reliance a couple of times, but they initially stuck with two other brands—one a national brand priced at a premium and not popular in this region, and the other a low-cost local brand with unprofessional dealings, poor quality, and irregular supply. Eventually, market demand and gaps in the existing offerings prompted Reliance to consider Cocoguru.

Wholesale vs. Consumer-Centric Approach

Many brands focus on pleasing wholesalers to boost bulk sales. At Cocoguru, we focus on pleasing consumers. As a result, retailers are compelled to stock our products due to customer demand. Interestingly, our biggest buyer isn’t a wholesaler—it’s a standalone supermarket in Puttur. There, consumers are free to pick the brand they trust, without retailer influence.

Cocoguru’s availability at Reliance Smart is a win-win for local consumers, the Cocoguru brand, and Reliance Retail. This milestone marks the beginning of many more placements in larger retail chains. Very soon, Cocoguru will also be available on Jiomart.com, allowing local customers to receive home delivery at lower costs compared to Amazon and Flipkart.