Capital Foods to take its Ching's ready-to-eat meals overseas

Noodles, sauces and snacks manufacturer, Capital Foods, plans to launch its products in overseas markets under the brand name Ching's Secret, besides setting up two new manufacturing units in India.        

"We will be introducing our Ching's noodles in the US, Canada and Singapore soon. Besides, we also plan to launch our ready-to-eat meals in the US, Canada, Australia and the Middle-East next month," Capital Foods' Managing Director, Ajay Gupta, told PTI here.        

The company will invest Rs 34 crore to set up two new manfacturing units in Vapi, Gujarat, for processing frozen foods, Gupta said.        

"We will be investing around Rs 34 crore in the two facilities which will be operational by mid-2010," he said.        

Presently, the company has one facility in Vapi that manufactures hakka and instant noodles, along with soup and sauce mixes. It also has one facility each in Kandla, Gujarat, and Nashik, Maharashtra.        

Gupta said that the company aimed to become a niche player in Chinese processed foods.        

"Our noodles cater to the unique way Indians prefer to eat Chinese — that is our opportunity. Besides, Chings targets people in the age group of 18-25. People are prefering spicy flavours and look at noodles as a full meal rather than just a snack," Gupta said.

The noodle-line market in India is worth Rs 1,100 crore and Capital Foods enjoys a 20 per cent share, he said.        

The company had, last November, launched its soup-line with three tangy and spicy Chinese flavours to take on number-one player Hindustan Unilever's Knorr soups.        

"We use frozen dried vegetables rather than dehydrated ones to preserve taste and at the same time make it healthier," Gupta said.