Trust, product quality, and consistent customer experience—not viral social media moments—are the true foundations of enduring consumer brands, according to founders speaking at the 6th edition of the ETRetail E-Commerce and Digital Natives Summit 2026. The panel, featuring Himmath Jain (founder, AS-IT-IS Nutrition), Kishore Indukuri (founder, Sid's Farm), Aditya Anand (co-founder, Yogabars), and Manas Ranjan Hota (co-founder, Drink Prime), and moderated by author and venture capitalist Harnidh Kaur, argued that sustained growth comes from delivering products consumers repeatedly trust and recommend.
The Founders’ Philosophy on Brand Building
According to the ETRetail report, Himmath Jain described growth as the result of consistent execution rather than chasing virality. "Virality is the outcome. Those things happen, but it's really been compounding small linear growth," he said, adding that long-term marketing discipline creates stronger businesses than short-lived spikes in visibility.
Kishore Indukuri attributed Sid's Farm's initial expansion to hyperlocal customer engagement and consistent product quality. He noted that the pandemic accelerated adoption as consumers increasingly prioritised trusted food brands, as reported by ETRetail.
Aditya Anand said product quality was the foundation of Yogabars' early growth, with transparent communication around product authenticity helping the brand gain visibility online. "Product should be strong to start with. Then, if you have luck, it plays a lot," he said.
Manas Ranjan Hota echoed the importance of customer-centric design: "The longer the customer stays, the healthier your business is, and the more money you earn automatically. If you design the entire model around customer satisfaction, you'll go very far."
Role of AI and Social Listening
The panel also discussed the growing role of artificial intelligence and social listening in consumer businesses. While AI can help monitor customer sentiment and improve discovery, the founders emphasised that direct engagement with customers remains irreplaceable. Aditya Anand cautioned: "If a tool tells you what the sentiment of your customer is, you're way behind. You should be speaking to your customers every single day."
Caution on Founder Branding and Influencer Marketing
The discussion also warned against excessive focus on founder branding and influencer-led marketing without investing in product quality. Aditya Anand remarked, "Founder branding is deeply overrated. All founder videos now look the same," adding that durable consumer brands are built on trust, reliability and repeatable customer experiences.
Implications for Brand Strategy
Summing up the discussion, the panel concluded that while social platforms and AI are reshaping consumer discovery, long-term success will continue to be driven by product excellence, transparency and authentic customer relationships. The message for executives and investors: sustainable brand equity is built through disciplined execution and customer satisfaction, not viral spikes or founder celebrity.
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