ITC to launch mass range chocolates and coffee

The popular range would pit ITC against the likes of Cadbury's and Nestle in the chocolates segment

Diversified conglomerate ITC, which ventured into Chocolates and coffee last year with premium offers under the Fabelle and Sunbean brands, is now looking to launch a popular range.

Though the brand architecture for the popular range is yet to be finalised, the launch could happen sometime next year. The popular range would pit ITC against the likes of Cadbury’s and Nestle in the chocolates segment.

The coffee segment is dominated largely by Nestle and Hindustan Unilever and mass range of coffee would put ITC in competition with some of the premium variants of these players.

ITC’s plan is to leverage the equity that it has built with its premium offerings. As Hemant Malik, divisional chief executive, foods division, says, the strategies for chocolates and coffee are fairly similar at one level.

“Make a great product, bring something completely different to the market and create and some credibility for yourself. We are pitted against well entrenched, formidable players and we are relatively new in all the segments that we operate in. But we have been able to leverage the institutional strengths of ITC including agri-sourcing, cuisine expertise of ITC Hotels chefs, packaging and manufacturing excellence, extensive trade marketing and distribution infrastructure among others to craft winning products as well as ensure efficiency in the supply chain.” Read more