Frito expects sales to grow

Frito Lay aims to increase market share in eastern region to 50 per cent in two years, Animesh Banerjee, vice president, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd-Frito Lay division, said here today.

"We are looking at 50 per cent of the eastern market by 2006 that is growing at a rate of around 15 per cent per annum," said Banerjee on the sidelines of the seminar on 'Processed food: Global trends & emerging concepts of quality management' jointly organised by the department of food processing industries and horticulture , the West Bengal government, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The company might be expanding its capacity in a year time, he added.

Currently, Frito Lay was using around 40 per cent of the land at its 10 acre Sankrail unit, with production limited to 1,250 tons per month.

The market for potato chips and other associated products was nearly equally divided between organised and unorganised players.

Sailen Sarkar, West Bengal's minister for FPI&H, claimed the investment opportunity in food processing in the state was as high as Rs 1,000 crore.

Parna Dasgupta, director of Confederation of Indian Food Trade and Industry, said new legislation on food safety and standards was likely to come before the Cabinet soon.

"The Bill was expected in the budget session but it may finally be placed in the monsoon session," said Dasgupta.