Ashwin Industries eyes newer markets

The Vadodara-based Rs 250 crore Ashwin Vanaspati Industries Pvt Ltd (AVIPL) is all set to take its range of edible oil to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as a part of its retail expansion strategy.

The company, which so far had kept its advertising campaign a low-key affair, now has decided to roll out a major television blitzkrieg to woo the retail customers across the western region.

AVIPL, which has been selling its maize, soyabean, sunflower and cottonseed oils in Gujarat, plans to introduce the whole range of edible oils in the neighbouring markets. The company will also take its key vanaspati product 'Rasadaa,' in Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra.

"We want to make our presence felt in markets outside Gujarat too. The buying behaviour for oil has changed. With the increase in health awareness and the emergence of a number of nuclear families, there is a promising class of the consumers who want a brand instead of a generic commodity," said Manoj Nambiar, sales manager, AVIPL.

At present, the company has a marginal presence in certain pockets of Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The company's Samlaya-based plant has a capacity to produce about 25,000 metric tonne of hydrogenated vegetable oil per year and about 75,000 metric tonne of various refined oils per year. The company sells about 1,000 metric tonne branded oil per month in one, five, 10 and 15 litter packs.

"For us, Gujarat alone is a huge market. The non-Gujarati states that we have zeroed in on have equal or even greater size of the market.

"However, we have not set any targets at this stage as we are making entry for the first time in other states' branded oil market," added Nambiar.