Godfrey eyes top slot in king-size cigarette mart

Godfrey Phillips India Ltd (GPI), the country's second largest cigarette manufacture, plans to drive up its market share in Gujarat and to consolidate its market position across the country.

The company is targetting the king-size cigarette segment, in which it aims to garner a leadership position by 2006. Four Square, Godfrey Phillips' only brand in the king size segment in Gujarat, will spearhead this growth.

The company has also announced the launch of the New Age Look of Four Square Kings in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

"Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat, are priority markets for Four Square. Therefore Gujarat marks the first phase of the national rollout of the New Age Look. With strengthened marketing, we are confident that we will achieve the leadership position in the king-size sector in the state by 2006," said Nita Kapoor, senior vice-president, marketing, Godfrey Phillips.

The company aims at becoming the leading tobacco player in India. Godfrey Phillips reported a growth of 8.3 per cent, beating the industry growth of 4.4 per cent in 2003- 2004.

The company also reported an increase of 9.15 per cent in sales for the financial year 2003-2004, while net profit grew by 37.3 per cent to Rs 52.04 crore in 2003-2004.

The new-age pack is the first step in the company's overall plan to drive up numbers from the current five lakh sticks per month. The company will strategically revamp operations and put in several new initiatives into place to achieve its growth plan.

A significant portion of these initiatives has already been activated over the past year. Four Square registered a growth of over 32 per cent in 2003-2004 over the previous year in Ahmedabad alone and is among the fastest growing brand in the Godfrey Phillips' family.

The Regal crest, which has formed the heritage of Four Square, will now been seen in conjunction with the new Red and Gold Motif, coupled with the embossed brand name designed in a trendier font, that reflects new age attitudes.

Four Square already enjoys a significant presence in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Goa, Hyderabad and Punjab, and the subsequent launch of the new age pack is expected to fuel the company's growth in the king size segment in India.