Philips, a market leader in home appliances, plans to double its retail outlets for air fryers to 20,000 with an eye to focus on growing demand in smaller cities.
As the adoption of air fryers grows beyond metros into tier-III and IV towns, Philips targets to enhance direct distribution from 10,000 retail outlets to about 20,000 in the near future.
E-commerce, including quick commerce, contributes nearly one-fourth of its sales executed through its partner Versuni India. After-sales service is provided irrespective of where the product was bought and covers over 2,000 pin codes, said the company.
An appliance that once sold for around ₹15,000 and was unfamiliar to most households has become a regular part of Indian kitchens. Philips introduced the air fryer in India in 2012, two years after its global debut.
Gulbahar Taurani, Managing Director and CEO, Versuni India said for the last 14 years, Philips has single-handedly taken on the responsibility of consumer education, trying different recipes and communicating that the air fryer is made for Indian kitchens.
“The question is no longer ‘Why an air fryer?’ It is now ‘What else can I do in an air fryer?’” he said.
Air fryers are currently the fastest-growing category in the portfolio of IPO-bound Versuni India and within the small-appliances space.
Philips now offers air fryers from about ₹5,000 to ₹20,000, including multiple capacities, dual-basket models and products designed for Indian needs, such as a model that helps households set curd in winter.
“A ₹5,000 Philips air fryer is as good as any other Philips air fryer from a core-performance perspective. Prices increase with capacity, features, dual baskets and additional functionality,” Taurani said.
The growing demand for air fryers for Philips is supported by local manufacturing at Chennai and Ahmedabad which doubled capacity in March while Chennai now produces air-fryer motors locally.
Around 90–95 per cent of Versuni India’s portfolio is localised. The company has recorded double-digit growth over the last two years and expects to sustain it this year, with newer categories such as air fryers, air purifiers, garment steamers and coffee machines growing at high double-digit rates.
“What matters is performance. Our patented Rapid Air technology enables the right cooking, frying and heating, with even results while retaining the taste and authentic flavour of Indian recipes,” Taurani said.
Published on October 7, 2026
