Kishore Biyani-led Future Group, which recently launched community specific rice under the brand name 'Ektaa', is planning to introduce a private brand for edible oil under the brand name 'Punya', according to sources. Meanwhile, it plans to roll out community specific pulses, spices, snacks and staple, processed food under its Ektaa brand soon.
The company plans to capture atleast 20 per cent of market share in all these categories that Ektaa will be launched in. "While the world is going from national to international, we want to go from national to local to community. According to Census, there are 4,200 communities in India and 'Ektaa' as a brand has been created keeping in mind the diversification present in Indian community. Under Ektaa, more products like pulses, staple, processed food and snacks like poha, mamra, khakhra and besan will be launched. Future Agrovet, the sourcing arm of Future Group procures staples for the group stores. Out of the 50 stock keeping units (SKUs) prepared so far for Ektaa brand, 10 SKUs have been launched," Devendra Chawla, head-private brands business, Future Group told Business Standard.
The products will see a value pricing, though it would be 10-15 per cent premium over loose products. The brand Ektaa aims to have its strong positioning on the geography-community-food-people platform. To begin with, the company plans to launch Gujarati snacks. These products will be made available across all the Big Bazaar / Food Bazaar stores, which sees a couple of lakh consumers shop across the country.
Ektaa branded rice is available in five variants — Red Matta, Sona Masoori, Govind Bhog, Ambe Mohar and Basmati in a packaging of 1 kg and 5 kg. Soon more variants would get added in rice as well, Chawla added.
The last one year has seen aggressive roll-outs from the group's private brands with products like 'Tasty Treat' breakfast cereals, soups, noodles, cookies, TV time pack snacks range and Sach Brand which is a co-creation with Sachin Tendulkar starting with oral care category toothpaste and toothbrush, to name a few.
