MUMBAI: Patanjali Ayurved, the Indian FMCG firm that takes pride in its willingness to take on global brands, now plans to enter India’s huge dairy market as well as expand into apparel, as it aims to capitalise on its reputation for “trust”.
Speaking at the Globoil India 2017 trade show, founder Baba Ramdev said: “With this we will be in 11 categories. The total market size of these two categories will be Rs 20 lakh crore. We will enter both within this year.”
First reported by Livemint, Ramdev also used the event to take a dig at Patanjali’s international competitors, including Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the largest consumer packaged goods firm in India.
“We are number one in trust and we will be No1 in turnover in a year,” he said. “What are foreign companies doing for India? What has Hindustan Unilever done for Hindustan, what gate has Colgate opened and what birds has Nestlé given flight to?” he asked.
“I have the trust of over 100 crore people of India, and I am converting this trust, faith, loyalty into a brand with no personal wealth,” Ramdev added.
According to Moneycontrol News, Ramdev may have been motivated to take a swipe at HUL because the company recently obtained an interim injunction against a Patanjali Ayurved soap ad, which allegedly disparaged HUL’s soap brands.
The ad was said to play on the names of leading brands, such as Lux, Pears and Dove, indirectly telling consumers to reject “chemical-based soaps” and adopt natural ones.
Patanjali has also come under pressure after local TV channels in flood-hit Assam last week broadcast reports of people accusing the company of distributing milk powder and fruit juice with old expiry dates.
However, the Hindustan Times quoted a company spokesperson, who said it cannot “always control the logistics of transport and distribution and are not responsible if someone other than our representatives indulge in some wrongdoing”.
“We don’t send out date expired products from our warehouses. Patanjali has helped the flood-affected in Assam purely on humanitarian grounds,” said Patanjali’s SK Tijariwala.
Speaking at the Globoil India 2017 trade show, founder Baba Ramdev said: “With this we will be in 11 categories. The total market size of these two categories will be Rs 20 lakh crore. We will enter both within this year.”
First reported by Livemint, Ramdev also used the event to take a dig at Patanjali’s international competitors, including Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the largest consumer packaged goods firm in India.
“We are number one in trust and we will be No1 in turnover in a year,” he said. “What are foreign companies doing for India? What has Hindustan Unilever done for Hindustan, what gate has Colgate opened and what birds has Nestlé given flight to?” he asked.
“I have the trust of over 100 crore people of India, and I am converting this trust, faith, loyalty into a brand with no personal wealth,” Ramdev added.
According to Moneycontrol News, Ramdev may have been motivated to take a swipe at HUL because the company recently obtained an interim injunction against a Patanjali Ayurved soap ad, which allegedly disparaged HUL’s soap brands.
The ad was said to play on the names of leading brands, such as Lux, Pears and Dove, indirectly telling consumers to reject “chemical-based soaps” and adopt natural ones.
Patanjali has also come under pressure after local TV channels in flood-hit Assam last week broadcast reports of people accusing the company of distributing milk powder and fruit juice with old expiry dates.
However, the Hindustan Times quoted a company spokesperson, who said it cannot “always control the logistics of transport and distribution and are not responsible if someone other than our representatives indulge in some wrongdoing”.
“We don’t send out date expired products from our warehouses. Patanjali has helped the flood-affected in Assam purely on humanitarian grounds,” said Patanjali’s SK Tijariwala.
Data sourced from Livemint, Moneycontrol News, Times of India, Hindustan Times; additional content by WARC staff
