Lab-grown diamonds: Goldiam leads the charge, Trent joins the race

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. With a knack for disrupting industries, Tata Group’s Trent is now setting its sights beyond fast fashion. After redefining affordable clothing, Trent is entering a new frontier—lab-grown diamonds (LGDs).

It’s banking on the same formula that drove Zudio’s rapid expansion into tier- and tier-3 cities: mass-market appeal, aggressive growth, and affordability. But can this approach succeed in the diamond industry, where exclusivity is often the main attraction? Over the past three years, Trent has achieved impressive growth, with sales and profits rising at compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of 68% and 103%, respectively. During this period, its share price grew at a CAGR of 90%, pushing its price-to-earnings ratio to an impressive 202.

This momentum stemmed largely from capitalizing on the shift from unorganized to organized retail and embracing India’s fast-fashion trend. Read this | Power Play: Kamaths unlock new level with investment in gaming stock Targeting the under-served mass-market segment with clothing priced under ₹1,000, Trent rapidly expanded its Zudio brand in smaller cities. Unlike premium-focused competitors, Trent’s disruptive strategy has found success in the lower-cost, fast-fashion space.

Now, Trent’s ambitions extend even further. Alongside international expansion, it has recently ventured into the lab-grown diamond market with its brand, POME, available at select Westside stores. This move signals Trent’s intent to disrupt another fast-growing category by positioning LGDs as affordable alternatives to natural diamonds.