 "Godrej to start local manufacturing of soaps in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka")
Envisaging the demand for consumer products in SAARC countries and logistic cost of export, local manufacturing of soaps in foreign markets has been initiated for the first time, though for other products local sourcing is being done earlier at many places.
The company is setting up a new manufacturing facility in Jammu which would be operational by March next year. The plant is coming up at an investment of close to Rs 100 crore. Sharing the company's plans, Sunil Kataria, Business Head-India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) told that the new facility would help to ramp up its presence in rural market which is a real growth driver.
Although the demand for FMCG products has taken a plunge in the last two years due to dent in rural demand caused by two successive droughts, the company is eyeing a faster growth this year. As many parts of India have been receiving good monsoon this season, we hope to harvest the gains of this monsoon in 4-6 months. We expect that as the festival season picks up in October, rural demand will also recover".
"Riding on the wave of growing awareness for organic and natural consumer products the brand has launched Godrej No 1 germ protection soap.
This soap is also exported to Nepal and has registered a creditable growth in this SAARC country since exports kicked off last year", Kataria said.
"A significant presence in market of north, and largest presence of Godrej No 1 soap in Punjab (about 15% of total sales) makes it imperative to launch the product from Chandigarh", added Kataria. Member Parliament Chandigarh and Bollywood actor Kiron Kher, who is also a brand ambassador of the new soap was present on the occasion of unveiling of product. GCPL has tied up with all major e-commerce retailers and has appointed a dedicated team to address the needs of on-line buyers, informed Kataria.