MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has bagged Kelvinator in a deal that signals its aggressive push into India’s Rs 75,000 crore consumer durables market. The acquisition brings the century-old global refrigeration pioneer under the wing of one of India’s most voracious retailers.
The details of the acquisition were not revealed at the time of writing, but Reliance Retail, had earlier signed a 10-year deal with Electrolux for brand licensing, manufacturing, marketing, and distributing the Kelvinator brand. The latter’s consumer cooling products have been absent from the Indian market for while now
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Kelvinator, a household name in the ’70s and ’80s, was once the epitome of Indian middle-class aspiration with its catchphrase, “The Coolest One.” Reliance now plans to reboot the brand’s nostalgia with cutting-edge appliances, promising mass access to global-quality tech at local prices.
“Our mission has always been to serve the diverse needs of every Indian by making technology accessible, meaningful, and future-ready,” stated Reliance Retail Ventures executive director Isha M Ambani.”The acquisition of Kelvinator marks a pivotal moment, enabling us to significantly broaden our offering of trusted global innovations to Indian consumers. This is powerfully supported by our unmatched scale, comprehensive service capabilities, and market-leading distribution network.”
The move aligns neatly with RRVL’s ambition of “democratising aspirational living.” With 19,000+ stores and 3 million merchants in its ecosystem, the company is now eyeing deep penetration of premium appliances into Indian homes.
Reliance Retail reported Rs 3.3 lakh crore in turnover and Rs 25,053 crore in EBITDA in FY25, maintaining its perch among the world’s fastest-growing retailers, according to Deloitte.
With Kelvinator’s legacy and Reliance’s distribution muscle, the group is betting big on middle India’s thirst for quality, affordability—and a bit of old-school cool.
