‘Our intent is to be one of the largest FMCG cos straddling categories’

Velvette, for various reasons, has not done much since Covid. But the brand has to its credit creating the sachet revolution in India. Our research showed that the recall of this brand is pretty high, specifically in the Southern states. The brand has a lot of potential, as the name resonates in personal care. There is unaided recall for the brand. What we have acquired is the brand and the entire usage of whatever formulations they have. 

So, initially we’ll start with shampoos but we’ve got rights for all personal care products and we’re going to make it a complete personal care range – from shampoos, handwashes and soaps – and we’ve started working on the products. It won’t be restricted to Tamil Nadu. We’ll start over here because the legacy is strong in TN but we will take the brand pan-India. 

RCPL is actually into multiple categories. Some of the facilities are our own and we operate through third party facilities also. Our thought is to provide global quality products at affordable pricing. We work actively with facilities we control and in many cases we have third party facilities also. Going forward, we will not shy away from putting up our own facilities for our brands if we get the right technology. 

We have brands like Get Real for skin and hair care and detergent brand All in One which we are developing in our facilities. 

Our intent is to become one of the largest FMCG companies straddling categories. Some of the categories have already got traction. In beverages also, the intent is to be across all sectors, not only just carbonated soft drinks. We are into stills, source water and even in functional drinks. We have the entire range of staples as well as in processed foods. And in practically every category of home and personal care we will be present.  

It is getting to be pan-India and we are channel agnostic. Some of our brands have bigger traction outside (of Reliance Retail outlets). We have a very significant distribution, which we set up over the last 18 months. We are already available at over eight lakh outlets approximately and in certain categories where we have started getting traction, for example, in beverages, we have double digit market share in two or three states. 

We have very good share in Uttar Pradesh, in West Bengal; we are not in double digits, but very near to that in Karnataka, Bihar. So we are progressing in a lot of states. Our supply chain keeps improving. This year when our supply chain gets bigger, we will start becoming pan-India, we recently opened in Maharashtra and Gujarat. We have a limited presence; we have a couple of facilities lined up and just opened the distribution. 

Other categories also we have been piloting at various places. The idea is to get the thought process right. In staples, Independence is a very big brand for us, which is going pan-India. We have our own edible oil refinery which is based in Maharashtra and we have a facility there quite close to the port. In all other categories also, we do have significant pilots.

For biscuits, we have a part of it under Independence, but a majority of the offerings we have a tie up with Sri Lankan brand Maliban. We have introduced unique products. For example, we have introduced a glucose biscuit with 11 per cent protein at the same price what is currently available from the competition. Then we have a tea biscuit which doesn’t get soggy when you dip it. In our snacks, we have a brand called Masti Oye and a brand called Snactac. We also have a tie-up with Chennai’s famous Grand Sweets, who are manufacturing a part of our South Indian snacks under the Masti Oye brand.  

Competition is actually helpful in a way to develop ourselves. But our focus is the consumer. If we gain consumer acceptance we know we are getting the product right. Consumer acceptability is what will give us the success. Our platform is providing global quality products at an affordable price point.