Fruit drink concentrate maker Rasna is working on launching its first exclusive food product for kids by July this year, a top official said here today.
"We are doing some test marketing on a completely new product. Not in South. We will be launching all India in July. It is a food product, not a drink. That will be our first food product category (in domestic market)," Rasna Chairman and Managing Director Piruz Khambatta reporters here.
Noting that the company was only retailing beverages in India, he said, "We are only in the beverage segment in India. Abroad we have food products like chutneys. What we are testing is a food product in the child and health category. I am very clear that India's future is health category."
Khambatta and senior company officials were here to announce Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar as the Brand Ambassador, besides rolling out a marketing campaign on the occasion.
"He (Akshay Kumar) is not only the brand ambassador for the domestic market but also for the Middle East and other countries", Khambatta said.
To a query, he said the company was looking at a 20-25 per cent growth this year. "We are looking at a CAGR for both domestic and exports of 20-25 per cent".
Currently, Rasna Pvt Ltd has nine factories in India with a total capacity to produce 500 crore glasses. "Of the total 500 crore glasses, we make Rasna orange for at least 60 per cent which is about 300 crore glasses", he said.
On the exports market, which contributes 30 per cent of total sales, he said the company was looking at setting up two manufacturing plants to serve the exports segment.
"Exports contribute about 30 per cent for us. We have not decided the land for the manufacturing plants", he said.
Rasna exports products to the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, he said, adding they were also looking at entering South Africa.
The company has allocated Rs 40 crore towards marketing campaign, expected to begin from Southern region, which contributes a majority of business to Rasna, he said.
