Leading consumer companies are injecting significant investment into India, creating nearly 5,000 new jobs over the next two years, according to a report in The Economic Times. This expansion, driven by India's robust consumer market, includes new manufacturing facilities and global capability centers (GCCs), signaling strong confidence in the nation's economic growth and talent pool.
Major investments and job creation
The report details specific commitments from several firms:
| Company | Investment | Jobs Created | Location / Facility |
|---|---|---|---|
| PepsiCo | ₹1,266 crore ($152M) | ~500 | Beverage flavours plant in Ujjain |
| Haleon | ₹2,000 crore ($240M) | Up to 500 (plus indirect) | Manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh |
| Carrier Global | $100M | 1,500 | Plant in Sri City |
| Dabur | ₹400 crore ($48M) | ~250 | Greenfield facility in Tamil Nadu |
| Carlsberg | Not disclosed | Over 300 in first phase | IT GCC in Gurgaon |
| McDonald's | Not disclosed | Hiring for upcoming GCC | India |
| L'Oreal | Not disclosed | Hiring for upcoming GCC | India |
PepsiCo on Tuesday said it is setting up a new ₹1,266-crore manufacturing facility for beverage flavours in Ujjain, with a potential to hire about 500 employees, the report noted. McDonald's and L'Oreal are in the process of hiring for their upcoming GCCs in India. Carrier Global said it has plans to hire 1,500 employees for its new $100-million plant in Sri City. Haleon (formerly GSK Consumer Healthcare) is starting local production for the first time with a ₹2,000-crore facility in Madhya Pradesh. Carlsberg and Dabur are expanding existing digital centres in the country with fresh direct employment.
Executive quotes and rationale
“India continues to be a strategic growth market for us globally,” Eugene Willemsen, chief executive officer, international beverages, at PepsiCo said while announcing the company’s second flavour manufacturing plant in India and ninth globally, according to the report.
Executives at search firms said hiring is happening across roles and functions, and most of the hiring is local, the report added.
“Talent shifts have created new job opportunities in India,” said Sonal Bahl, partner at Positive Moves Consulting. “GCCs now offer global mandates, faster decision-making, exposure to enterprise-wide transformation and career paths that are often comparable to, or even more attractive than traditional business roles.”
Haleon, maker of Sensodyne toothpaste and Centrum supplements, expects its facility to create up to 500 jobs besides indirect ones “with a strong focus on leveraging skill development, local talent and supplier ecosystems,” said Kedar Lele, India chief executive and South Asia president of Haleon, as quoted in the report.
Many of the new plants and tech centres will cater to global markets as well, executives said, according to the report.
Carrier global CEO David Gitlin told ET in a recent interview, “When you look at the areas that we’re particularly interested in, it’s hard for me to believe that there’s going to be any year in the coming decade where we don’t grow at least double digits in India.” He said Carrier plans to increase hiring in India from 5,000 to 6,500 over the next four years.
Dabur’s upcoming greenfield facility in Tamil Nadu has the potential to generate direct employment for around 250 people, chief executive Mohit Malhotra said, adding “We have committed an investment of ₹400 crore…with nearly one-third of the investment already under execution,” according to the report.
Carlsberg’s IT GCC in Gurgaon will “strengthen the brewer’s IT backbone, accelerate digital transformation, and embed new capabilities,” Carlsberg Group CIO Esther Wu said in a statement cited by the report. The centre is in the process of employing over 300 professionals in the first phase.
Broader economic context
HSBC in a purchasing managers index survey on Tuesday said while India’s private-sector activity lost some momentum in June, it remained comfortably above its long-term average, helped by resilient domestic demand and improving manufacturing conditions, the report noted.
India's growth momentum remains resilient despite the US-Iran war riling markets and investor sentiment between February and June, executives and analysts said, according to the report.
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