Ice cream sales up in Saurashtra

Local players are claiming a major chunk of the Rs 1.50 lakh a day ice cream market in Rajkot, industry sources said.

Bigger ice cream companies in the Saurashtra region such as Amul and Kwality Walls are offering various schemes and packages to woo customers in view of the brisk business in the summer and holiday season.

Local players are offering ice cream better packaged and at lower prices.

Bigger companies such as Amul, Kwality Walls, Vadilal and Havmor are feeling the heat of competition from local players.

"Only in Rajkot, it is estimated that people consume ice cream worth Rs 1.50 lakh every day. Out of that, local players running parlours in the Racecourse and Ring Road areas, sell ice cream worth Rs 40,000 every day," said an industry source.

The other major ice cream markets in the Saurashtra region are Surendranagar, Amreili, Junagadh and Porbandar apart from Bhuj and Jamnagar.

An official of Maganlal Ice cream Company said there were about 1,000 small and big ice cream parlours and shops in Rajkot.

Besides some big local ice cream parlours, there are about 500 ice cream outlets. Many companies offer ice cream worth Rs 100 free on purchase of ice cream worth Rs 100.

A range of ice creams in different tastes and prices are available in the market.

The prices range from Rs 5 to Rs 70. Fruit juice outlets in Rajkot are also doing brisk business. Many outlets and roadside vendors sell fresh juice.

According to estimates, roadside vendors sell juice worth Rs 75,000 everyday.