A snapshot of Business News this week
With Hajmola Yoodley, Dabur Enters the Ready- to-drink Beverage Space
Dabur’s most well-known and trusted digestive Hajmola will now be tested in new waters. The FMCG major is all set to launch Hajmola Yoodley to enter the ready-to drink beverage market. The new range of drinks will offer consumers ‘chatpata’ flavours that are quite different from what is presently available in the ready to drink beverage market. A 250ml pack of Awaara Aam Panna, Nimboora Shikanji, Go Goa Guava, Jhakaas Jaljeera, Golmaal Golgappa and Kabhi Kala Kabhi Khatta will cost Rs.30.
Mondelez International launches their new ‘Bubbly’ chocolate in India
There is a lot of excitement at the launch of Mondelez International’s Bubbly chocolate as this is the first aerated chocolate to be introduced in the Indian market. The company is seeing the launch as a great marketing opportunity as chocolate market is poised for fast growth. Since Bubbly has been categorised into the Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk portfolio the company feels that the chocolate will go down well with Indian consumers. It is also priced reasonably at Rs.70 and Rs.160. Cadbury Dairy Milk is a subsidiary of Mondelez International and for Cadbury the Dairy Milk Silk Bubbly chocolate has been a huge success internationally. By launching Bubbly the company hopes to increase their footprint in the chocolate market in the country.
Tata Starbucks Celebrates 75th Store Opening at Mumbai
Tata Starbucks is a joint venture of Starbucks Coffee and Tata Global Beverages which is operational in 6 cities in India. With the opening of the 75th outlet in India and the 27th in Mumbai, the company continues to grow. Tata Starbucks offers a unique experience to coffee lovers in India. The company hopes to exceed the expectations of the customers to whom they also attribute their success.
The new outlet is a two storied unit and is located in Bandra. The outlet not only celebrates the story of coffee in messages that can be seen across the store but also reflects the historical architecture of Mumbai. This new Tata Starbucks outlet has embraced the local culture and has abundantly displayed locally created antique artefacts.
AP Government Aims to Invest Rs.5000 Crore in Food Processing
The Andhra Pradesh government is hoping to make the State the preferred destination for the food processing industry. It is aiming to invest Rs.5000crore in the sector by 2020. This will be utilised to set up three parks – Integrated Food Parks, Mega Food Parks and Ultra Mega Food Parks across all districts. Also the government aims to create 50,000 additional opportunities for employment in the sector. Inland Container Depots are to be set up at Chittoor and Kakinada port for the food processing sector to facilitate import and export of food products.
The new food processing policy of 2015 – 20 focuses on a planned and coordinated approach to develop the food processing industry. The policy covers sub-sectors like agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy, poultry as well as aquaculture and marine production. They aim to develop Banana and Mango Development Boards on the lines of Spice and Coconut Boards. Suo moto proposals are being considered for bidding via the Swiss Challenge process.
USSEC and SOPA join hands to Promote Soya bean Foods
The US Soya bean Export Council (USSEC) and Soya Oil Processors Association (SOPA) of India have signed a memorandum of understanding to increase soya bean consumption in India. They hope to see soya bean increase as human food as well as feed used in poultry and aquaculture industries. With an increase in local demand they hope to boost sales as realisation through soya oil has dwindled because of import of cheap soya oil. On the other hand the American USSEC aims to increase demand for soya locally so that it can export US soya bean to India.
India consumes only 5 million tonnes of soya out of the 8 million tonnes produced while the rest is dependent on exports. To reduce dependence on export the industry is looking for better local consumption. The two bodies will also impress on the government to include soya bean food in its social welfare projects such as mid-day meals and the Integrated Child Development Services programmes. If the demand for soya meals goes up then the Indian soya processors will vacate their export markets for the US producers.
Spice Board to Promote North East Spices in Global Markets
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would like to see a developmental leap in the North East and so the Commerce Industry Ministry has decided to promote the organic spices of the region of the Seven Sister states. While Lakadaong/Megha turmeric has medicinal attributes and high curcumin content, Nadia ginger has less fibre content while Bird’s eye chilli and King chillies have high pungency.
The Ministry says that though they have to test the spices that come from other states but the spices of the North East have such outstanding quality that they need not be tested. Branding the spices according to location also qualifies them for a higher premium. The Spice Board is implementing development programmes and identifying best farmers besides organising buyer-seller meets.
Cremica Foods to invest Rs. 200 crore to set up Food Park
Cremica Foods is all set to invest Rs.200 crore to set up a food park and manufacturing plant in Himachal Pradesh. Once the food park is operational next fiscal the company will be able to increase its distribution network to 100,000 outlets from current 15,000. The company has internationally certified production facilities and its innovative flavourings and fillings have consistent quality. The company is aiming for a turnover of Rs.1000crore by 2020.Ceramica is to launch a variety of mayonnaises, jams and ketchups in this fiscal while its range of products include chips, sauces, sandwich mayonnaise, salad dressings and syrups.
Lite Bite Foods ties up with HMSHost for airport outlets
Lite Bite Foods owned by Amit Burman of Dabur has joined hands with HMSHost, a United States-based highway and airport food service firm. HMSHost will have the controlling stake while Lite Bite Foods will own 49% in the joint venture. They will work to operate outlets at domestic and international airports across India and Asian countries. HMSHost has a reputation as provider of food and beverage (F&B) services for travellers globally as it is the travel dining business of the Italian catering firm Autogrill. On the other hand Lite Bite Foods has the expertise in operating outlets in airports at Delhi and Mumbai.
HMSHost operates F&B outlets in airports across the world and in India it has a contract for Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow airports while Lite Bite Foods has outlets at Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport and Terminal 1D and T3 at New Delhi airport. As a joint venture company they will also bid for travel retail outlets at airports, railways and highways as government is planning to modernise these travel hubs. Lite Bite Foods will see to business developments while HMSHost will operate the new outlets.
KMF to Invest up to Rs.500 crore on its Entry into Mumbai and Pune Markets
The Karnataka Milk Federation is the second largest milk cooperative that operates in the southern region under the brand name ‘Nandini.’ It is already selling Tetra cartons of milk in Mumbai and Pune but hopes to enter the fresh milk market in a couple of months. In the next phase of planning they hope to spread to other northern states.
The KMF has expressed its desire to set up a milk processing plant with an investment of Rs.300crore along with Telengana’s Vijaya Dairy. The investment could exceed Rs.500crore if KMF decides to add milk powder, value-added milk products’ manufacturing and cattle feed plants to their list of products. Presently KMF supplies 60,000 litres of milk per day daily to Telengana besides the 75, 000 litres of fresh milk it sells daily to other host states and the 55,000 litres of long shelf life milk.
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