Snowman scouts for partner

While you enjoy the ice cream at a Baskin Robbins outlet ever wondered how much it takes to bring it to the outlet and how it is done to ensure you get it just the way it was intended for the customer?

Mumbai-based Snowman Frozen Foods, not the one that thaws when the winter ice thaws, takes on the logistical challenge of delivering it just the way it came from the plant.

Snowman is among the few in India to set up frozen and chilled food distribution system on a pan-India basis. It is a joint venture between Gateway Distriparks Ltd of Singapore, Mitsubishi Corporation, Nichirei Logistics Group Inc. of Japan and Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation.

With the cold-chain infrastructure being highly-fragmented and under-funded, the Rs 30 crore player is setting up its flagship warehouse off the Old Madras Road in north-eastern Bangalore.

The firm has charted out its Rs 100 crore expansion plan. The biggest chunk of the investment will be taken on this warehouse.

With this expansion, the firm aims to double its topline to Rs 60 crore by next year. It is presently scouting for a strategic partner for its expansion plans.

"We are looking for someone with cold-chain as their core business," said Ravi Kannan, CEO, Snowman Frozen Foods.

Snowman also ensures that you get green peas throughout the year compared to just a few years ago when you got them only during the season, added Kannan.

The firm has 16 warehouses now and has 110 vehicles. A large chunk of seafood exporters too use the logistics support of Snowman.

Among the prominent clients of the firm are the big food chains like Pizza Hut, Al Kabir, Radhakrishna Foods among others. Snowman's biggest expansion target geographically is central India where it has no presence yet.