ITC made its entry into the branded &
packaged Foods business in August 2001 with the launch of the Kitchens of
India brand. A more broad-based entry has been made since June 2002 with
brand launches in the Confectionery, Staples and Snack Foods segments.
The packaged foods business is an ideal
avenue to leverage ITC's proven strengths in the areas of hospitality and branded cuisine,
contemporary packaging and sourcing of agricultural commodities. ITC's world famous
restaurants like the Bukhara and the Dum Pukht, nurtured by the Company's Hotels business,
demonstrate that ITC has a deep understanding of the Indian palate and the expertise
required to translate this knowledge into delightful dining experiences for the consumer.
ITC has stood for quality products for over 98 years to the Indian consumer and several of
its brands are today internationally benchmarked for quality.
The Foods business carries forward this proud
tradition to deliver quality food products to the consumer. All products of ITC's Foods
business available in the market today have been crafted based on consumer insights
developed through extensive market research. Apart from the current portfolio of products,
several new and innovative products are under development in ITC's state-of-the-art
Product Development facility located at Bengaluru.
Leadership in the Foods business requires a keen
understanding of the supply chain for agricultural produce. ITC has over the last
98 years
established a very close business relationship with the farming community in India and is
currently in the process of enhancing the Indian farmer's ability to link to global
markets, through the
e-Choupal initiative, and produce the quality demanded by its customers. This
long-standing relationship is being leveraged in sourcing best quality agricultural
produce for ITC's Foods business.
The Foods business is today represented in 4
categories in the market. These are:
Ready To Eat Foods
Staples
Confectionery
Snack Foods
In order to assure consumers of the highest standards of
food safety and hygiene, ITC is engaged in assisting outsourced manufacturers in
implementing world-class hygiene standards through HACCP certification. The unwavering
commitment to internationally benchmarked quality standards enabled ITC to rapidly gain
market standing in all its 6 brands:
There are several new products under advanced stages of development, which will be
launched over the next few months. Please await the announcements on this site.