Shan! Bringing Authentic Flavors to Every Table, Everywhere.

A middle-class guy with entrepreneurial skills observed a marketing gap and introduced his ready-for-use spice mix. It was a great time economically for businesses to start and bloom as the country was into a more agriculture-based economy. The annual GDP growth averaged 6% and was driven by remittance from the middle east into moderate industrial growth. The country was expanding, creating opportunities for businesses to cater for the growth. The lifestyle was changing and the rising population into 80 million in 1981. Gave great leverage for new businesses to start up as it was the period of the Zia ul Haq Government which focused on privatization, deregulation, and encouraging entrepreneurship.?

MUHAMMAD SIKANDER SULTAN, originally from a family of traders, came from humble beginnings.? Was motivated to create high-quality spice blends that could convert the life of urban areas into easy living as everyone was into growth and a busy lifestyle. Starting from a very small investment he manufactured and sold ready-to-use spices mixed with traditional Pakistani dishes. He observed that people were struggling for authentic cultural taste and were drowning in the complexity of traditional recipes. So he worked on promoting his brand accordingly. Making his core approach of making life easy, the taste of authenticity and hygienic products.?

At the start of every business, they had to face challenges. Similarly, Shan did too, they had to face the mindsets of people as packed spices were not that common. People were not into adopting pre-packed spices and we were skeptical about it and believed that homemade spices were superior over it. They used premium products to win over people's skepticism. Secondly, They had to face the challenge that people believed making food from scratch was more of a skill than prepacked packages. For which they infused the chef’s using prepacked species for smart work. Giving an idea of working smartly and resonating with the culture using an emotional approach.??

They adopted global standards like ISO certificate and HACCP compliance for good safety to build trust and authenticity. Initially, they faced challenges in distribution. Eventually, they expanded to over 65 countries. They took advantage of the growing tastes, cultural shift preferences, and people's lifestyles into easy work. They started to expand themselves and became a globally recognized brand. They have used marketing strategies based on Maslow's hierarchy of emotional connection and belonging and started showcasing their product with a resemble of their culture or mother's taste. The marketing strategies were so reasonable that people felt emotionally connected. Not just this they kept on expanding themselves in wanting them into people's needs and desires expanding into sauces, achar, and much more. They understood their consumer needs and marketed their product accordingly their famous ads were of Biryani Love, Ramadan Spirit, Family Bonding, and Diaspora Emotional Stories. Maintaining traditional authentic taste encouraged the Pakistanis who were abroad to purchase the brand to get a taste of their culture and keep their traditions alive.?

They adopted and tailored their marketing strategies to align with the needs and lifestyles of their target audience. They moved beyond the belief that traditional methods were not superior to smart work. In their marketing approach, they collaborated with influencers and chefs to create a sense of professional authenticity in their food. Additionally, they employed subtle marketing tactics, such as partnering with retailers, to promote their brand by appealing to human behavior.?

By showcasing their products and encouraging customer purchases, they aimed to establish themselves as a pioneering brand. They utilized a variety of marketing strategies, including the use of hashtags, fostering a sense of belonging, and crafting emotionally resonant advertisements that embed their branding into consumers' subconscious minds.?

In my next article, we will explore the taglines, words, and ideas that Shan used to market themselves in local and international markets. We will focus on their famous ads and how they resonate with the audience's tastes.