India’s Forgotten Business Empire That Shook Gillette! | Ft. Reenita Malhotra Hora
Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai
In this episode of Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai, we speak with Reenita Malhotra Hora about the remarkable journey of India’s razor blade industry and the rise of two landmark brands —Topaz and SuperMax.
Bringing a rare insider perspective, Reenita shares how these homegrown brands grew to dominate the Indian market and competed head-on with global giant Gillette. Drawing from family history and deep research, she takes us through the making of these companies, the technology behind blade manufacturing, and the challenges of innovating in a product most people consider simple but is, in reality, highly complex and precision-driven.
A must-listen for anyone interested in Indian brands, entrepreneurship, and the real stories behind products we use every day.
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Chapters
00:00 – What’s coming up
01:00 – Bhavya x Reenita begins
03:05 – When Topaz & Supermax ruled the industry
06:00 – How Topaz & Supermax came to life
09:45 – Topaz becomes the #1 brand in India
11:30 – How razor blades are manufactured
16:20 – Machines: then vs now
18:50 – Why blades are a highly technical product
20:10 – The science behind blade coatings
21:55 – The difficulty of real innovation
24:55 – Pressure from international brands
28:30 – When Gillette tried to buy them out
30:29 – Why the Malhotra family split
33:10 – The famous napkin contract
35:54 – The birth of SuperMax
38:42 – The deal with Gillette
41:00 – How the founders reacted
43:00 – How partners blocked the sale
44:10 – What if Gillette had acquired them?
45:50 – Key takeaways for entrepreneurs
48:20 – Indian quality vs international standards
51:15 – Did the brothers clash during the Gillette episode?
55:15 – 5 billion blades a year – scale of the market
55:30 – Other brands in the market
56:15 – How blade companies really make money
59:45 – Building a global export business
01:02:10 – Why the acquisition was vetoed
01:04:35 – Not a tribute, but a real story
01:05:40 – Understanding the legacy
01:08:30 – How SuperMax eventually ended
01:11:00 – Closing thoughts & beyond
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▶ About Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai - "Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai" is a podcast channel where curiosity meets expertise! and our host Bhavya Desai, a curious and enthusiastic podcaster, talks to different experts and brings out the best in his guests, ensuring that every episode is packed with valuable takeaways. This show aims to connect people who love learning with professionals who have a lot of knowledge and experience.