Sakthi Ind set to enter Singapore, Malaysia

Sakthi Industries, which claims to be the first and only firm to market herbal nutpowder in the country, will soon enter the Singapore and Malaysian markets to sell its Sakthi brands of herbal nutpowder, herbal hairoil, multipurpose drops and amla.

Speaking to Business Standard, D Guru Kumar, general manager of Sakthi Industries, said, "Negotiations are going on with interested parties for exporting Sakthi products to Singapore and Malaysia. As a prelude, the company is modernising its two factories in Vijayawada up to international standards on a war-footing."

He said that the company, for the first time in the country, is also introducing vending machines targeting children, teenagers and young people. The machine, on dropping a rupee coin into it, would gush out nutpowder balls.

Started as a family cottage industry, Sakthi touched a turnover of Rs 4 crore in 2004-05 and is targeting Rs 5-crore turnover this fiscal. "We plan to achieve a Rs 10-crore business by 2007 when our full range of health promoting products would reach all sections of people," Kumar said.

The company is also planning to bring out a herbal multipurpose balm and a herbal dental powder in the near future. At present, both the products are under intense test-market studies. "The firm manufactures and markets ayurvedic products, which are researched and developed by Sakthi Ayur Concepts Limited," he said.

Kumar said, "Sakthi products are test-marketed for at least 10 years among a score of consumers selected randomly all over the state. The composition of products is modified basing on their experience and advice."