Kausik Datta & Pradeep Gooptu
ITC, the tobacco-to-hotels major, has
diversified into the match business in a bid to earn more revenues from non-tobacco
businesses. The company is marketing the new product through its nearly four-million
strong marketing and distribution network.
Retail trade sources said ITC has
challenged the marketing basics in the match industry by selling a 75 paise matchbox with
larger sticks against the normal 50-60 paise boxes which have smaller sticks.
ITC is producing the product from small
units and marketing them through its network. Matches are mostly produced at Sivakasi and
Kovilpatti in Tamil Nadu. The packaging design and specifications are supplied by ITC to
small units which manufacture the product, according to the order.
Further, ITC match-boxes have been
specially designed and colour-printed with a food recipe with each box as well.
The design and recipe package also clearly
indicates the intended buyer is not just the smoker, thus far the focus of most campaigns,
but targeted equally at the lady in the kitchen and the budding cook. The recipes imply
that they come with the stamp of branded kitchens of ITC’s hotels and hospitality
business, though it is not mentioned as such.
The Rs 10,000 crore company is offering
recipes of different cuisine, especially Indian delicacies. The recipes are neatly printed
on a special sticker which forms the back of the drawer that holds the matches. The normal
box carries specially- designed front and safety tips at the back. All this comes free
with the safety match. More accurately, recipes of different Indian dishes are available
on the back.
