Beverage firms step up health play

Dabur to launch a second brand under its juices portfolio, currently led by its Real brand

Homegrown beverage firms are taking a cue from the shift international companies are making towards healthier options to cater to the changing tastes of consumers.
 
Players such as Parle Agro, Dabur, ITC, Manpasand Beverages, Hector Beverages (maker of Paper Boat) and Patanjali are all ramping up presence in the good-for-you beverage space.
 
The trend, say experts, is becoming pronounced as India’s largest organised beverage category — carbonated drinks, pegged at around Rs 14,000 crore in size — stagnates.
 
Seeing the slow pace of growth in carbonated drinks, multinationals such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have shifted focus to