Encouraged by the buzz created among the consumers by the Black Dog 12-year-old deluxe, the company has now decided to launch the 8-year-old centenary variant of the brand. Despite a tagline reading "Proudly old-fashioned since 1883", it has tried to make a connection with the younger lot. With the existing restrictions on liquor advertising, USL has promoted the brand by having strong on-trade presence through exclusive tie-ups with retailers.
The group is investing Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion) to expand its edible oil business thisyear by foraying into palm oil, soya oil and rice bran oil production. In its new FMCG products, the company will launch 18 new products in hair care, babycare and men's grooming segments. Initially, the company will sell its edible oil in bulk to industries that are into production of chips and biscuits. Brands will be launched later on, depending on the initial success.
The information technology sector in West Bengal is likely to see addition of 20,000 jobs in 2008. The state currently has about 300 small to big sized companies and employs 55,000.
The French cosmetics major's sales in India grew 40.3 per cent last year. According to the company spokesperson, "Being a part of the BRIMC (Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico and China) countries, India offers high potential for us. This was recognised by L'Oral from the start of our Indian operations 13 years ago."
The intellectual property rights battle between Britannia Industries and French dairy and beverages giant, Groupe Danone, is heading for an early breakthrough.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) is investing close to Rs 46 crore (Rs 460 million) in four new centres of excellence -- School of Entrepreneurship, School of Infrastructure Design and Management, Steel Technology Centre, and Centre of Excellence in Telecommunication Engineering.
As FMCG giant ITC has entered the snacking segment, the well established brand FritoLay has geared up its marketing strategy to meet rising competition.
When the husband-wife duo of Yatin and Kiran Patil inherited a 200-acre grape farm, they decided to enter the wine business and position the brand at the top of the price pyramid. Vintage Wines' brand, Reveilo, was launched in 2006 from its winery in Nashik valley and is currently the most expensive wine brand in India.
Brands in FMCG sector have taken to brand valuation to identify the potential and realised value of the brand names.
Webel's digital tool enables people with cerebral palsy to communicate.
Perfetti has won the suit against Candico that was filed 9 years ago over the latter's trademark.
India is likely to see the addition of at least 400 restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee joints in 2008. Food chains such as Yum Brands, McDonald's, Domino's and Caf Coffee Day have earmarked an estimated investment of over Rs 300-400 crore (Rs 3 to 4 billion) this year in expanding their retail presence across the country.
The FMCG sector has taken some steps to match the pace of growth in the organised retail sector. Companies have launched dedicated sales personnel for modern trade channels and taken initiatives to boost point of purchase management at the large stores. Modern trade refers to retailing through large-format stores whereas general trade refers to retailing through kirana stores.
Reliance ADAG's Big Music and Home Entertainment is looking at garnering close to 40 per cent market share of home and music entertainment business in India.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies can rejoice as the Rs 27,369 crore rural market in the country registered a growth rate of 17 per cent in the first 10 months this year.
According to Gibson G Vedamani, CEO of RAI, "We have urged Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to allow shops to stay open till at least 11.30 at night, if not overnight. In Mumbai and Delhi, a few retailers had approached the government individually and got permission to keep their shops open till late." At present, all retail outlets in West Bengal have to shut by 8.30 pm, making it difficult for people who work late hours to manage their shopping during the week.
Indian small and medium enterprises are expected to emerge as major buyers of the information technology products by 2008. According to Joydeep Datta Gupta, executive director of Deloitte & Touche Consulting, any IT-led SME business transformation project could succeed only if the project was sustained.
English club may send coaches to train players
In a first of its kind initiative and available only in Kolkata, mobile services provider Vodafone Essar, has launched the 'Sambhav' prepaid card, targeted at customers with hearing and speech disability.Available at Rs 151, the prepaid Sambhav card will enable the hearing impaired to communicate effectively using a cellphone. The card enables customers with hearing and speech disability to use mobile phones primarily for sending SMSes.
Edible oil makers are gearing up to replicate the sachet revolution in the shampoo market in the 1990s, which increased the product's penetration in rural and semi-urban areas. Following in the foot steps of Bunge India, owner of Dalda vanaspati, which introduced sachets for its blended edible oil brand, market leader Adani Wilmar plans to roll out Rs 5 sachets of Fortune, its edible oil brand, in a couple of months.
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