Our Bureau
NEW DELHI, Aug 29
The `signature dish’ of ITC’s
Hotel Maurya Sheraton and one of the dishes extolled by former US President, Mr Bill
Clinton, dal bukhara, will now be made available at retail stores, courtesy the Kitchens
of India.
A brand from the ITC stable, Kitchens of
India marks the tobacco – major’s foray into the packaged foods business. The
first few ready-to-eat products were launched recently through retail outlets in the
Capital.
Mr. Ravi Naware, Executive Vice-President
of ITC Ltd and the head of its foods business, told newspersons that the company saw a
huge opportunity in the segment, considering that food expenditure in the country was
about Rs.1,00,000 crore. The packaged food segment was growing at about 30 per cent per
year, he said. While the company started out with a few products such as dal bukhara, dum
pukht and dakshin’s chicken chettinad, he said more exotic dishes would be added to
their portfolio. He said their chefs would explore the vast repertoire of India’s
heritage cuisine.
Subsequently, the chefs would recreate the
exotic foods and flavours of the country which would then be packed for consumption.
Mr. Naware told Business Line that the
company hoped to complete the roll-out of its products by the end of this fiscal. At
present, it was sub-contracting its production through local manufacturers in different
locations. He added that the quality stipulations and other parameters would be monitored
by ITC professionals.
About two years down the line, he hoped to
set up a manufacturing base in the country. He said the food business would be run as a
branch of ITC Ltd and, possibly in the future, it would be spun off into a full-fledged
division.
The company is looking at making the
product available through online booking, but that would be at a later date.
However, exports are on the cards for these
premium pacakged foods. The company is looking at markets in the US, UK, Europe, West Asia
and Australia – "where there are large segments of the Indian Diaspora".
The company looked to clock domestic sales
of Rs 4 crore and exports of about Rs 30 crore, by March 2003.
Priced at Rs 190 for a 450 gsm pack and at
Rs 380 for a twin pack, he said the products would be shelf-stable for about a month,
thanks to the aseptic technology that they use.
Competition in the segment for Kitchens of
India would be in the form of MTR’s similar products, though the official pointed out
that MTR’s products were in the popular segment – with prices in the region of
Rs 40.
Promising `A feast for the senses’,
which is also the brand’s tagline, the company would promote its products through
limited advertising, direct mailing and aggressive merchandising, he said.