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Sowkea Enterprises’ healthy coconut-based alternatives to aerated drinks
MUMBAI: Eating healthy is only just picking up in India. When thirsty we grab a can of cola and not water. People are not aware of healthier options available to them because it's easy to get something from the street vendor.
This led RB Sivakumar to start Sowkea Enterprises in 2019. The Tamil Nadu-based startup has an alternative for aerated drinks. Sowkea’s objective is to provide consumers farm-fresh tender coconut water, grated coconuts, and other coconut-related products. The intention is to get the right coconuts from the right farms which will benefit farmers and consumers alike.
Sowkea Enterprises is promoted by Vignesh Polymers, a leading player in South India in the manufacturing of injection moulding components. Sivakumar is a first-generation entrepreneur who belongs to an agricultural family.
In a conversation with indiantelevision.com Sowkea Enterprises CEO RB Sivakumar said: “Venturing into the agro-industry has been a passion of mine for a very long time as it relates to my roots. Moreover, social entrepreneurship is of utmost importance in the current and future scenario. It must be carried out to give back to the strength of our country’s farmers. Having delved into the manufacturing industry for the last 15 years, I felt I needed to give back to society, the country and our aforementioned strengths. Sowkea was started with the same ideology in mind and will forever be embedded with such principles of doing well.”
The company has around 1000 individual customers as of now; these customers include individuals, educational institutions such as schools and colleges, IT companies, luxury hotels, hospitals, and other companies.
“Sowkea had tied up with large coconut farms in and around Pollachi on a long term basis for the best quality coconuts. Last month I was invited to Kerela by the Coconut Development Board to meet coconut farmers. Farmers initially did not agree to the innovation as they did not feel it would be a success. After we explained to them about my agricultural background along with my technical knowledge, they were convinced to help us. We paid them an advance for one year andnone farmer’s approval paved the way for encouraging various other farmers and soon, we had a group of farmers willing to supply us,” Sivakumar further added.
Consumers based out of Chennai can order coconut cans directly through the Sowkea app.
The company is currently participating in Gulfood 2020 being held in Dubai. Apart from India, Sowkea is trying to tap the Middle East market. It has already launched Sowkea Halo Elaneer in Oman and Qatar.
Sowkea a self-funded start-up with around 20 employees. This year the company’s agenda is to concentrate on vending machines and exports.
Sivakumar said: “We have started promotions in South India. Slowly we will launch products in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. We also conceived the idea of using vending machines to increase the reach of our product for this very reason. Soon these machines will be available at public places, hospitals, bus and railway stands. The machines can be operated by cash or card.”
Sowkea has spent around Rs 6 crore in the development, manufacturing, and advertising of the product. To make Sowkea Halo Elaneer reach every consumer the company will soon register itself on Flipkart and Amazon. Halo Elaneer has been priced in the ex-factory format of Rs 40, Rs 45 and Rs 50.
As per Sivakumar the major challenges were to procure good quality tender coconuts and to identify custom made specialised machinery to make this innovation come true. R&D was done for more than a year.
Sivakumar concludes the conversation by saying, “We have a group of farmers who supply to us throughout the year during all seasons. Fixed pricing has been given to them throughout the year, regardless of peak or off seasons so that the farmers can sustain efficiently.”
Directly buying produce was the long-felt need of farmers. Direct procurement from farmers can go a long way. It helps marginal farmers to derive benefit throughout the year.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
