Hathi signs Anupam Kher to refresh 114-year-old brand

B. P. Oil Mills Limited (BPOM) has signed actor Anupam Kher as the brand ambassador for Hathi Edible Oil, its 114-year-old flagship label. The announcement arrives with a packaging refresh across the brand’s mustard, groundnut and soybean oils, the company said.

The pairing is meant to be a generational bridge. Hathi’s brand promise, “Hathi Oil, Swaad Jo Ghar Le Aaye,” has long tied it to family cooking; Kher is expected to carry that heritage to younger households while retaining older consumers.

“Hathi represents a legacy built over 114 years, with its products becoming part of the everyday cooking traditions of Indian households,” said Bharat Bhagat, Managing Director, B. P. Oil Mills Limited.

01 · Why Kher, and why now

For brand leaders, the move reads as a deliberate de-risking of a packaging change. A new pack can feel like a break from the past; a familiar, versatile actor softens that break and gives retailers a story to tell. Kher’s film and audience range fits the brief of keeping trust while modernising shelf presence.

Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil remains the flagship offering. The new packaging covers all three oil categories, updating the visual identity while preserving the product attributes associated with each oil, the company said.

02 · The scale behind the campaign

• 2.5 lakh+ retailers and 4,500+ distributors and dealers across India
• 25+ company-owned depots
• E-commerce presence on Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Big Basket and Zepto
• BPOM turnover exceeding ₹1,000 crore, with a target of 35–40% growth over the next year

That distribution muscle is the real multiplier. A celebrity-led brand refresh works only if the new pack reaches shelves quickly and consistently; Hathi’s retail and quick-commerce network gives the campaign a broad canvas.

Edible oil is a trust-driven category, and the appointment is not about chasing novelty. What makes this worth watching is the timing: a 114-year-old label is refreshing its visual identity at the same moment it is chasing aggressive growth, and it is using a cross-generational actor to hold both narratives together.

03 · What the next year looks like

Anirudh Bhagat, Director, B. P. Oil Mills Limited, said the focus is on a stronger, more contemporary identity across the edible oil portfolio, and that the company is exploring opportunities to expand its FMCG portfolio into new categories over time.

The brand promise stays front and centre, but the packaging signals a move to a more contemporary presentation. For CMOs, it is a test case in refreshing a legacy brand without letting go of the codes that made it familiar.

Source: MediaNews4U

Mad About Marketing Desk The strategists and writers at Mad About Marketing, writing up what we see in the work every week.