ITC’s Classmate widens beyond notebooks with omnichannel, digital-learning push
Classmate is expanding into writing and art supplies, QR-led learning and school partnerships while extending distribution across general trade, modern retail, e-commerce, quick commerce and D2C. ITC says consumer spends on the brand exceeded Rs 1,000 crore in FY25.
What happened
ITC’s Classmate is broadening from notebooks into writing and art supplies, digital QR-led learning and school tie-ups. The brand is expanding through general
Key facts
- Paper-based stationery market valued at Rs 16,500 crore
- ITC FMCG FY25 revenue: Rs 219,81 crore
- Classmate consumer spends exceeded Rs 1,000 crore in FY25
- Classmate launched in 2003
- eduGAMES Infinity offers 11 interactive challenges
Why this matters
Classmate’s move creates partnership and acquisition whitespace in learning content, school engagement, digital tools and adjacent art-and-writing categories that can accelerate ecosystem scale.
What to watch
- Growth in non-notebook categories as a share of Classmate sales and consumer spend.
- Number, depth and renewal rate of school partnerships, including institutional order wins.
- QR scan rates, registered users, repeat engagement and conversion from digital content to product purchases.
- Quick-commerce SKU availability, search ranking, repeat purchase rates and promotion intensity.
- Evidence of premiumization through higher average selling prices or growth in art, writing and specialty products.
- Competitive responses from Navneet, DOMS, Kokuyo Camlin, Flair, Reynolds and regional stationery brands.
- ITC disclosures on brand-level profitability, advertising intensity, distribution expansion or D2C investment.
- Bundle notebooks, pens, art supplies and exam-prep materials into grade- and season-specific kits for back-to-school and exam periods.
- Use QR registrations to build first-party parent and student cohorts, then personalize replenishment, content and D2C offers.
- Secure school partnerships through activity kits, teacher resources, competitions and institutional procurement programs.
- Expand quick-commerce assortments toward urgent-use SKUs such as pens, project materials, printer paper and exam stationery.
- Defend margins with differentiated premium ranges while using entry packs to counter regional-value competitors.
- Pursue licensing or content partnerships to strengthen digital-learning credibility without building a full education platform internally.