Maharaja’s Pioneering Failure

Maharaja Whiteline, a fully automatic dishwasher, was unveiled a decade ago by

Maharaja International ltd (MIL). MIL tested each part of the machine for suitability to
Indian conditions and also formulated detergent to tackle the hard water problem. The
product itself needed only minor adaptations. Whiteline offered six washing programmes
to choose from, ranging from a five minute cold wash to an hour long warm intensive
wash.

In August 1992, the brand was launched. The advertisement broadly targeted the upper
income housewife, exhorting her to give her kitchen an international look.

The sales stood at a dismal 1290. The company blamed the failure on dealer indifference
despite the high margins. Survey on the other hand showed that the economy conscious
consumer was worried about the product using up too much water. The joint family
found the machine’s capacity too low.

 Identify the “product market fit”.