New FMCG Entrants ready to take on Big Rivals

TNN | Jul 11, 2011, 04.34AM IST

A new breed of FMCG companies in India is aiming to reach the top quickly and challenge the incumbents. While Jyothy Laboratories hopped onto the top-five bandwagon by acquiring Henkel India, Ruchi Soya, with an annual turnover of Rs 18,000 crore, is close to matching the turnover of leading FMCG firm Hindustan Unilever (Rs 19,000 crore). Although Dinesh Shahra-run Ruchi Soya is seen as a commodity company, its growth is driven by brands like Ruchi Gold, Nutrela and Mahakosh. Not content with piggybacking the existing brands, Shahra is planning a foray into other branded commodities such as pulses, rice and salt. Its soap brand ‘Ruchi No.1’ may be a minnow when compared to the offerings from HUL, but with 10-15% yearly growth, Ruchi Soya Industries may just be able to catch up with the FMCG major, sooner or later.

 

Ankesh Shahra is managing the international businesses for Ruchi Soya. It includes establishing a cross-commodity global trading platform headquartered in Singapore, as well as implementing Ruchi Soya’s backward integration strategy into agricultural plantations in Asia and Africa. He has a background in Finance, Economics and International Trade, and represents the third generation of the Shahra family that started the business conglomerate Ruchi Group having business interests across the sectors ranging from Edible oil, Soya foods, Steel, Dairy, Information technology, Realty and others.

 

Shahra said, “I am very grateful to the committee for their kind consideration, and realise the responsibilities that this award carries and look forward to fulfilling each and every one of them. Food security is indeed a prevalent global concern, and Ruchi is taking strategic steps towards ensuring competitive supply to India in the coming several years.”