MUMBAI: Two years after one of Indiaโs most storied business dynasties, Godrej Group, split, Godrej Industries Group (GIG) is targeting 15% annual growth over five years and preparing to list more businesses as incoming chairman Pirojsha Godrej charts its next phase.GIG, with sales of Rs 57,300 crore, also plans to expand a nascent pet care business and untangle Godrej Agrovet (GAL), which Pirojsha calls โa conglomerate on its ownโ, spanning animal feed, dairy, poultry and frozen foods.At GIGโs headquarters in Vikhroli, where his office overlooks a vast stretch of protected mangroves, Pirojsha is clear about the filters guiding these ambitions. โWe donโt want to be in spaces where we are a marginal player,โ he said. โWe want to be among the leaders, if not the leader.โThat principle applies as much to exits as expansion. While acquisitions remain on the table, GIG is willing to prune, shifting capital from sub-scale or non-core bets to businesses where it sees growth potential.Pirojsha, who started as a management trainee in 2004 and has been heading Godrej Properties (GPL), describes GIG as a โ129-year-old but two-year-old groupโ. The 46year-old, a father of two, said: โWe have the characteristics and advantages of an established group but weโre also new (following the 2024 split). It is both a great opportunity and a big responsibility to script the next chapter.โHe takes over as chairman from his uncle Nadir Godrej in Aug, following a separation that stood out in corporate India for the absence of public acrimony.โIt wasnโt straightforward or quick. There were genuine differences, but there was always a shared commitment to resolve things amicably,โ Pirojsha said, measured in his response. If anything, the aftermath has been calmer.โIโve been on holiday with some of my cousins from the other side,โ he said, with a brief laugh. โWeโve all grown up together.โ With business decisions now independent, โthat potential source of disagreement has effectively been resolved.โThe split created two groups. The other faction, Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG), led by Jamshyd Godrej, has revenues of Rs 19,769 crore.
That equanimity extends to the groupsโ most consequential shared assetโthe Vikhroli real estate holdings. Despite speculation that the parcels were central to the dispute, Pirojsha said the partnership framework was left largely untouched and continues as before.Under the arrangement, GEGโwhich owns the Vikhroli landโwill act as developer, while GPL will serve as marketing manager, focused on sales and entitled to 10% of the project topline. The arrangement covers all Vikhroli properties, with both sides retaining equal rights to Godrej brand in the region. Outside, brand usage will follow first-mover precedence, resting solely with GPL. Both groups are also bound by a six-year non-compete.For GIG, the next five years come with defined targets. Sales are expected to grow at least 15% annually, while earnings per share are projected to rise 20% each year. As newer businesses like financial services mature, each is expected to deliver at least 18% return on equity. If achievedโand with planned listings of the chemicals and financial services businessesโthe groupโs market capitalisation could reach Rs 5 lakh crore, roughly three times current levels. The targets, Pirojsha said, are being made public deliberately to โhold ourselves accountable, both internally and externally.โCurrently five companies are listed: Godrej Industries, the holdco of GIG, Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL), GPL, GAL and Astec LifeSciences, a subsidiary of GAL.Within the portfolio, GPL has been among the fastest-growing, scaling nearly fourfold in four yearsโfrom under Rs 8,000 crore in sales to over Rs 34,000 crore. Yet, he points out, it still has only about 5% market share nationallyโโwhich tells you the opportunity.โGCPL, meanwhile, has navigated a more uneven recovery, with a K-shaped demand pattern post-pandemic with premium segments outpacing mass-market ones. Pirojsha, however, pointed to green shoots: GST cuts, new launches such as Godrej Fab liquid detergent, and the acquisition of Muuchstac in menโs face wash.GAL presents a different kind of challenge. Pirojsha said the business is likely to be restructured over time. โItโs quite diversified,โ he said. โThat makes it harder for the market to fully understand.โFor a family split that lacked the drama of a Hindi movie, Pirojsha is building a modern film studio in Panvel. The Godrej story, it seems, has moved on to its next scene.