Page 49 - ABFI March 19 issue

News

Round-up

end, and some start-ups December 31, 2018 (over the categories like food, personal in Tamil Nadu in November
have been working on such same quarter last fiscal). The care and mens grooming 2018.
products. Future growth will overall foods portfolio is and other verticals that the “We are not doing any
come from expanding the expected to touch Rs. 200 crore company operates in. pricing action on Parachute. We
category through continuous by FY-20, it added. According to Karve, have taken a wait and watch
innovation in product and a favourable input cost policy. If our predictions hold
package and (Marico) is taking Focus on Premium (primarily copra prices) will well, we are still looking at a
definitive steps towards that,” Marico over the last few help improve margins and lower copra price. This means
the report said. quarters has been looking to fund growth. there will be some additional
The healthy foods franchise ramp up its kitty of premium However, copra prices margins which we can plough
posted growth of 23 per cent offerings. The premiumisation have substantially risen in back and fund growth,” he
for Marico in the quarter to strategy will be seen in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja said.

DS Group hopes to implementation of the GST, to expand the brand to the spice
Talking about the strategy
demonetisation and rising
‘Catch’ up on growth competition with the entry of grinders segment, Surana said,
“Indian consumers are now
new players. We were also in
with strategic plan the process of consolidating exposed to global cuisines,
and are looking for freshly-
our distribution and expanding
our product portfolio during ground spices. They also want
this period. However, this to experiment with exotic and
added categories such as spice fiscal, we hope to see double- fusion spices.” The company
grinders and pastes. digit growth in the range of 18- has launched a range of Catch
The company expects 20 per cent for the brand.” grinders with ceramic heads in
Catch, which is among the select stores in the key metros.
leading packaged spices player Regional focus The range includes black
in the country, to cross the The company has now pepper, pink rock salt, Italian
Rs. 600-crore-mark in terms of revamped its distribution seasoning, and crystal rock
salt.
sales by the end of the current as well. “We decided to “In the next three years, we
fiscal, recording a growth of consolidate and revamp our want to grab a share of about
Shashank Surana, Vice-President, about 20 per cent. Sources said distribution structure in the 20 per cent in the grinders'
New Product Development, the company had even hired Southern market. Instead market.” he added. The spice
DS Group consultancy firm Accenture of spreading ourselves too grinders segment is currently
to draw up a strategic plan, thin, we are now focussing pegged at about Rs. 200 crore.
MCG Company DS Group which is now in place, to get on deepening the market Surana said that the brand
Fexpects its flagship food the brand back to a faster penetration of the brand in is also being extended to the
brand — Catch — to close this growth trajectory. concentrated pockets in the pastes format with ginger
fiscal with a strong double- Shashank Surana, Vice- Southern region,” he added. garlic pastes, as the company
digit revenue growth, after President, New Product At the same time, in the believes it’s the right time to get
witnessing a slow growth Development, DS Group said, Northern and Eastern region, into this niche category, which
trajectory for the past two “The packaged spices market the company is expanding the is poised to see rapid growth.
years. The company is also did not grow substantially in brand’s presence in rural areas These products are currently
extending the brand to value- the past two years, due to the and adding smaller SKUs. in the test-pilot phase.

AgriBusiness & Food i ndustr y March 2019 49