Adaptation over standardization: How Rashodkhon Nasirov’s localization strategy doubled product value in Middle East markets

Award-winning marketing executive reveals approach to market-specific product development that transformed declining categories into double-digit growth. 

What happens when a global chocolate brand enters a market where sweetness preferences differ dramatically? Or when a Western dairy product launches in a region with entirely different consumption patterns? The answer many multinational corporations have learned through costly failures is that standardization breeds indifference, while thoughtful adaptation creates loyalty. The one-size-fits-all approach that dominated global marketing strategies for decades is crumbling under the weight of consumer expectations. As cultural boundaries remain stubbornly resilient even in our interconnected world, the companies thriving internationally have mastered the delicate art of speaking to local tastes while maintaining global efficiency.

This reality has sparked a fundamental shift in how major consumer goods manufacturers approach new markets—the days when a global brand and a universal product guaranteed success in any country are rapidly fading. Today’s consumer expects a product that speaks their language, accounting for tastes, habits, consumption culture, and market maturity. That’s why localization and value-added product strategies have become key: products that offer perceived added value in the eyes of a specific consumer, whether through composition, packaging, format, or social relevance.

How exactly adaptation and value-added strategies work in practice can be seen clearly in Central Asia and the Middle East markets, where dozens of successful launches have occurred over the past decade. Many of these transformative success stories are the work of Rashodkhon Nasirov, a marketing strategist whose impressive track record includes doubling revenue from value-added products at Almarai, tripling Nestlé’s coffee market share. Currently serving as Marketing Manager at Almarai, the largest vertically integrated company in the Middle East and the world’s fourth-largest dairy brand, Nasirov has developed a methodology that consistently turns struggling product categories into double-digit growth engines across vastly different cultural contexts.

From Analysis to Implementation: Creating Value Through Localization 

With a background at Nestlé and Almarai, Nasirov has built a career developing market-driven strategies that ensure global brands resonate with local consumers. His approach combines in-depth consumer behavior analysis with practical mechanisms for market entry, helping brands not only enter new regions but thrive in them. The cornerstone of his methodology is understanding the local consumer context before product development, establishing clear strategic objectives, fostering collaboration across functions, and identifying specific opportunities for differentiation in each market.

“Successful localization requires deep immersion in how people actually live and consume, not just demographic data. We need to understand the why behind consumer choices, not just the what.” 

In the early 2010s, he was involved in launching a large-format bottled water line under the Nestlé brand in Uzbekistan—5- and 18.9-liter sizes. The decision was timely: given the lack of high-quality drinking water and the growing “office-to-home” consumption pattern, the product quickly became part of everyday life for thousands of families.

“We didn’t start with packaging—we started with a map of the city: how people live, where they get water, how they store it. Only then did we build the concept.” 

A few years later came the launch of a ready-to-drink NESQUIK® cocoa beverage line in the CIS, a project spearheaded by Nasirov, who was responsible for the profitability and growth strategies of Nescafe, KitKat, Nestle confectionery, Nestle dairy, and Nesquik. Unlike the global version, the local Nesquik product had a unique formula with natural ingredients and a milder taste, which the market lacked, according to focus groups. The launch was preceded by extensive market research and consumer testing, ensuring the adapted product aligned with regional tastes and purchasing behavior.

The path to these successes was not without obstacles. Market introduction often required educating consumers about new product categories, while regulatory requirements varied dramatically across regions.

“We found ourselves not just selling products but creating new consumption habits. This meant investing in consumer education alongside product development and building relationships with local authorities to navigate regulatory frameworks efficiently.” 

This approach allowed his teams to reduce regulatory approval timelines and accelerate market entry even when facing operational and supply chain hurdles.

Strategic partnerships played a pivotal role in Nasirov’s expansion playbook. By forging alliances with key regional distributors — the Korzinka supermarket chain and Balton Distribution Group — he established a commercial infrastructure that amplified Nestlé’s market presence far beyond what traditional channels could achieve. The results were undeniable: coffee mix market share tripled, while overall portfolio sales doubled.

Perhaps more telling was his contrarian approach to the confectionery segment. Facing a declining market where competitors were retreating, Nasirov made a counterintuitive move: introducing bulk chocolate products focused on familiar flavors and accessible price points. The strategy yielded a 10% category sales increase — compelling evidence that well-calibrated adaptation can generate growth even in contracting markets. Industry recognition soon followed. Nestlé elevated the Nesquik CIS launch to its top five global innovations of 2013, validating Nasirov’s market-first approach to product development.

Scaling Success Across New Markets 

When Almarai — the Middle East’s dominant FMCG company and the world’s fourth-largest dairy brand — sought transformation in its bakery category, it turned to Nasirov. The $15.7 billion company (ranked 38th in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Listed Companies 2023) presented both a challenge and an opportunity that would test his methodology at an unprecedented scale.

During his five-year tenure leading the bakery category, Nasirov orchestrated a comprehensive category reinvention that went far beyond conventional product development. Working across three manufacturing plants and multiple market territories, he implemented a governance framework that aligned innovation initiatives with broader corporate objectives while maintaining the flexibility to address market-specific nuances.

Nasirov’s professional contributions transcended corporate boundaries. While driving commercial results, he simultaneously contributed to business education by co-authoring ”  — an examination of sustainable manufacturing approaches that reflects his commitment to responsible business innovation.

The Almarai transformation yielded extraordinary results.  Nasirov doubled revenue from premium products in just three years through a value-added portfolio strategy that precisely targeted regional preferences. Market expansion initiatives in Jordan and Oman delivered even more striking outcomes — a volume tripling that defied regional growth averages.

When facing a 15% volume decline — the type of challenge that often triggers conservative retrenchment — Nasirov again demonstrated his contrarian instincts. Rather than scaling back, his team developed joint trade and consumer engagement programs that not only halted the decline but generated a 6% volume recovery.

Industry validation came swiftly. In 2023, Nielsen IQ bestowed its coveted “Top Breakthrough Innovation of the Year” award on one of his flagship products. The following year, Almarai received the prestigious “Nielsen’s Bases Design Impact Award,” placing the company in the same echelon as global powerhouses like PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Mondelez.

These examples confirm that localization is not just a matter of ‘translating’ a global product but of redesigning it entirely for a specific environment. A critical component of this process is innovation — developing unique product formulations, optimizing packaging, and creating differentiated offerings that directly address local consumer needs.

For executives considering similar localization strategies, Nasirov offers several practical recommendations:

1. Start with immersive consumer understanding rather than product adaptation
2. Identify the specific value dimensions that matter most in your target market
3. Create cross-functional teams with strong local market representation
4. Focus adaptation efforts on the elements that most impact consumer preference
5. Measure success beyond sales data to include behavioral changes and adoption patterns

“In one country, it’s health and ingredients; in another — it’s packaging and convenience; in a third — it’s the social message. It all depends on context. And the company’s task is not only to understand that context but to integrate into it quickly.” 

According to him, over the past five years, especially in the Gulf and CIS regions, the products that have performed best are those offering targeted solutions rather than universal promises.

“Local consumers don’t want to be ‘average’ anymore. They want products made for them. It’s not about marketing — it’s about respect.” 

Looking ahead, Nasirov plans to expand his consulting activities, helping businesses refine their product innovation and market entry strategies. With his experience bridging the CIS and GCC markets, he is positioned to guide companies through these complex but rewarding environments.

That’s why local expertise, adaptation, and flexibility are increasingly becoming the foundation for long-term success — even for the most powerful global brands. Companies that recognize this don’t just maintain their positions — they win where others leave the market.

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