Edible oil manufacturer Adani Wilmar is all set to give market leader Marico a run for its money as it enters the coconut oil segment with a new brand, Fortune Naturelle. Marico's Parachute is a significant player in this segment.The Rs 3,000-crore company, which has brands like Fortune, Raga and Jubilee, is the market leader in the edible oils segment in India. While the company is positioning Naturelle as an edible oil and not a hair oil, going by the packaging and the pack sizes available, it is clear that the launch marks the company's entry into the over Rs 800 crore coconut oil market.Adani Wilmar is looking at garnering at least 8 to 10 per cent share of the coconut oil market, currently dominated by Marico's Parachute. In volume terms, the market is estimated to be 8,000 tonnes/month. Angshu Mallick, general manager, sales and marketing, Adani Wilmar, said that the product has already been rolled out in the west, south and east and that they were process of launching it in the north. He added that if the new brand managed to elicit the kind response they expected, the company would look at a more diversified hair care portfolio. "The next step would be to launch value added oils like mustard or amla oils," said Mallick.Other brands in the segment include Nihar (now owned by Marico) and Shalimar. While the oil is fit to be used for cooking and is sold in many markets as a cooking medium, most people tend to buy it as a hair oil.Mallick said that at present the company was using its existing distribution network spread over 6 lakh outlets to sell the brand. "About 80 per cent of coconut oil sales take place through the edible oil outlets," said Mallick. Of the remaining 20 per cent comprising chemists and corner shops or kiosks, Mallick said that they were in the process of introducing the brand through the chemists network.
