Indiantelevision.com Team

(29 June 2007 12:30 pm)

BANGALORE: Avesta Good Earth (AGE), the consumer foods division of Avasthagen, has displayed its new brand identity with new products in Bangalore.

Along with the line of Good Earth muesli cereals, muesli bars and muesli and whole wheat crackers in new design and packaging were showcased.

Four varieties of muesli cereal will be positioned as a healthy energy packed breakfast. Three varieties of crackers and three variants of Muesli bars will be . The cereal bar market which has grown by 70 per cent globally since the last few years to be worth more than $3.0 billion today.

The company plans to ramp up its product portfolio and varieties.

AGE CEO Sandip Dang expects to close the current financial year with a turnover of Rs 150 million and double that for the financial year 2007-08.

AGE plans to spend 30 per cent of the revenues towards product promotion which includes sampling by consumers, print advertisement, etc. Since the last three months, AGE ran a print campaign across selective media, which Dang claims has been quite effective. Concept Advertising (Concept) has done the creative work and media buying is by MPG. According to sources at Concept TVC's could be considered once the distribution network and the logistics are in place.

Avesthagen founder, vice chairperson and MD Dr Villoo Morawala Patil said, "Consumer health food is an exciting and fast growing category with a big growth potential". MNC's such as Kellogs, Unilever and General Mills have taken over health food manufactures to include their products within their product portfolio.

The company is targeting the age bracket of 20-80 year olds but more specifically the busy executive and student, the health conscious individual on the move.

The company plans to ramp up their distribution network to 15,000 retail outlets by end September 2007. The product has been well accepted by modern retail chains such as Food Bazaar, Food World and Spencer's according to Dang.

AGE also has strong tie ups with the B2B segment with their association with Nestle among others and has even acquired an overseas company and is looking at B2B and B2C business internationally too.