Kotak MF: Apple India FY26 revenue set to double HUL's as premium spend outpaces mass

Structural premiumisation reshaping Indian retail: food's wallet share fell to 46% rural and 39% urban, while premium smartphones above Rs 30,000 grew at 5.9% CAGR vs mass-market's -1.2%. Top-decile urban incomes compounded ~18% vs ~6% for urban mass, fuelling autos, jewellery, OTT and quick commerce.

— Source publishedMon, 25 May, 2026, 10:34 IST·First seen Mon, 25 May, 2026, 10:43 IST·Source BL · Consumer & Economy

What happened

Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund · Kotak MF report flags a structural premiumisation shift in Indian consumption: food's wallet share is shrinking while mobiles,

Key facts

  • Rural food share: 59% (1999-00) to 46% (2022-23)
  • Urban food share: 48% to 39%
  • Premium phones CAGR 5.9% vs mass-market -1.2% (CY20-25)
  • Premium smartphone share above Rs 30,000: 20% to 26%
  • Urban wealthy income CAGR ~18% vs urban mass ~6% (FY20-FY25)
  • Apple India FY26 revenue projected 2x HUL

Why this matters

Hunt for bolt-on M&A in premium D2C, quick commerce enablers, and aspirational categories serving the top urban decile, while reassessing mass-market portfolio assets for divestment as their growth runway compresses.