Entering a market like India, where people loved "metal" for kitchen purposes, Tupperware faced a huge challenge and successfully converted it in its favour. From 1996, when it entered India till today, Tupperware opened up the "plastic-kitchenware" market. While this did great good for Tupperware, it seems to have come with its own price - opening up the market for other local players as well. While Tupperware established itself strongly in India through its Direct Marketing, they seem to have a "not-so-strong" presence in the retail consumer market.
I was recently looking for a Tupperware lunch box set and visited a couple of local retail outlets. Not only did most of them deny having Tupperware, but they were also vouching for this immediate alternative called the "Signora Ware" With a look and feel so much like Tupperware, it also possesses the same benefits as Tupperware, such as - it's microwaveable, it's strong plastic, comes in various colours and it also comes with so many certifications to prove its authenticity. What tops this dominance list is the "Price" It costs lesser than Tupperware (if not exponentially, the price difference is pretty visible)
This experience made me look into this mysterious company and to my surprise, I figured out that this is a 3 decade old company located in Himachal Pradesh, India. They have no mention of when the kitchenware business per se started however, they claim to have been in the kitchen appliances market since 1981. In its website, it also claims to be "better than any international Plastic-ware brand" With a strong distribution and obviously strong dealer, retailer relations, Signora ware seems to be getting it right in the Indian retail consumer market. Though, the product isn't very well known, it seems to be an undoubted alternative to Tupperware especially for the middle class. Well, not to forget that Signora ware is also into the Direct marketing deal just like you know who!
Is Tupperware aware of this rising competition is doubted, but it should be is clearly the answer. "Direct marketing" may have surely been a great strategy to break open the kitchenware market in India, but major focus on this format seems to have rising concerns. Surely Tupperware has a bigger terrain covered and this may not seem like a big issue, but with a direct competitor hitting you, it's never the same anymore right!?
P.S: All observations and opinions are personal and do not support or criticize any particular brand or company.
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