Recently, Philips Home Appliances launched OneChef, an innovative all-in-one smart cooking appliance with the potential to become a staple in many Indian households.
Versuni India’s portfolio has two brands: Philips Home Appliances and Preethi Kitchen Appliances. Under these two, there are several devices. We spoke to Gulbahar Taurani, MD and CEO of Versuni India, about what’s next for the Indian home.
Many brands struggle to move from mass to premium. How has Versuni managed to maintain the legacy of Philips while positioning it as a lifestyle, premium-led brand?
Premiumisation, in our experience, is not about raising prices. It is about raising relevance.
Versuni has always stood for trust and performance in Indian homes, something clearly reflected in the legacy of both our brands, Philips and Preethi. What we have done over the years is build on that legacy by introducing products that solve evolving lifestyle needs, not just functional ones. Whether it is air fryers, garment steamers, or coffee machines, the shift has been from “appliance” to “everyday enabler”.
When consumers see clear utility, thoughtful design, and consistent quality, premium becomes a natural outcome, not a forced positioning.
Which category in your portfolio do you believe has the highest ‘premiumisation headroom’ that hasn’t been fully tapped yet?
Garment care is one such category. In India, garment care has traditionally been viewed as a chore-led category centred around irons. However, as wardrobes evolve and fabrics become more delicate, consumers are beginning to value convenience and fabric care much more. Steamers, for instance, are still underpenetrated but have significant headroom as awareness grows. This is a category where lifestyle shifts will drive premium adoption.
Is the ‘aspirational’ buyer in a smaller city looking for the same features as a metro buyer, or do they prioritise factors like durability and repairability differently?
The aspirational buyer in a smaller city is far more similar to a metro consumer today than many assume. Digital exposure has democratised aspiration. Consumers across India are aware of global trends, features, and design benchmarks. The aspiration is the same. The evaluation criteria can differ.
A metro buyer may prioritise design and convenience first, while a buyer in a smaller city often evaluates durability, service access, and long-term reliability more closely. Repairability and longevity are important considerations.
This is why localisation is critical for us. Products must be built not only for performance but also for endurance in varied Indian conditions.
How is Versuni adapting global designs to fit the specific constraints of Indian kitchens, for example heat, dust, and heavy usage?
Indian kitchens are among the toughest operating environments for any appliance. High heat, voltage fluctuations, dust, long cooking cycles, and very frequent usage put far greater stress on products than most global benchmarks account for.
So we follow a dual approach. We bring strong global design platforms into India and engineer them for local intensity. At the same time, we design products specifically for Indian cooking behaviours and household needs, and then apply our global design expertise to make them suitable for a modern kitchen counter.
This translates into very practical decisions. Stronger motor endurance for longer run times. Reinforced internal components to handle heat stress. Better sealing to manage dust. Rigorous voltage tolerance testing. Capacities and ergonomics suited to larger batch cooking and compact kitchen layouts.
Our R&D team in Chennai works closely with global counterparts, and every product goes through extensive local validation before it reaches the market.
For us, products are not just designed for India. They are built to withstand India and simplify everyday life in Indian homes.
Looking at the next three to five years, what is the next big category that does not exist in most Indian homes today but will be a staple by 2030?
I believe air purifiers and coffee machines have significant potential to become mainstream. Much like air fryers a decade ago, these categories are at an inflection point today.
As lifestyles evolve, consumers are increasingly valuing convenience, hygiene, and time-saving solutions. With rising air pollution and growing awareness of associated health risks, the air purifier category is gaining momentum.
Similarly, the coffee market in India shows strong promise. More roasteries and cafes have emerged in the last five years than in the previous few decades. With the rise of café culture and an increasing affinity for home-brewed coffee, this category has the potential to become a staple.