Brands
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi hails Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative
KOLKATA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Make in India’ would help boost up manufacturing and employment in the country, PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi said on Saturday.
Nooyi, who heads the Fortune 500 company, also said that business success nowadays is measured on quarter-on-quarter or year-on-year basis.
“I think the PM is absolutely right on this. It creates a manufacturing base and employment,” said Nooyi, during a brief media interaction at Indian Institute Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) convocation, in Kolkata.
She informed that almost everything that her company sells here is “Made in India.”
Answering a query as to whether her company was looking to promote its Rs 33,000 crore investment plan by 2020, Nooyi quipped, “That’s a lot of money… let’s get on with that.”
Talking about the success of business, she said, “Most successful businesses are those, which focus on the long-term. The most successful companies are the ones that create value over the long term for employees, for shareholders, and for the greater community.”
“We’re working every day to build a more balanced portfolio, to conserve natural resources, and to create diverse, inclusive workplaces, because we understand that long-term growth is contingent upon a healthy relationship between a company, its community, and its consumers,” Nooyi said.
She further said that challenges faced by India are inter-connected, which demands solutions and leadership.
“We still face complex challenges like inequality, climate change and resource scarcity that demand solutions and leadership. Making these challenges even more complex is the fact that they are all interconnected. You cannot dive into one issue without touching another,” Nooyi said.
In her concluding remarks, Nooyi said that though the county has made a lot of progress over the last four decades, India has a long way to go going forward.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
