The Hindu Business Line : New agarbattis from ITC stable

ITC Ltd has launched `Mangal Deep', a new brand of incense sticks (agarbattis), here on Monday. The product, unveiled by the noted singer, Mr S.P. Balasubramanyam, will be initially available in 80,000 outlets across Andhra Pradesh.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of ITC Agarbatti Division, Mr Rajasekharan, the new brand will be launched in phases across the country over the next six months. The company is hopeful of cornering a 5 per cent share of the Rs 1,000-crore agarbatti market in the next couple of years. Though 80 per cent of the Indian households use incense sticks, there are no major brands available in the highly fragmented market.

Mr Rajasekharan told newspersons that Mangal Deep was developed after extensive consumer research and would be backed by an aggressive media campaign. The incense sticks would be sold in "fragrance-locked" packs; a special package that seals the fragrance till the packet is opened. They would be available in packs of 10, 20 and 30 sticks.. He said that ITC had tied-up with Ananth Agarbathi Co and Sankranthi Agarbathi Co of Bangalore for manufacturing Mangal Deep in accordance with the quality parameters of the company. Initially, the fragrance of the new incense sticks would be in a combination of sandaland rose.

Mr R. Srinivasan, ITC's Corporate Management Committee Member, said that the company would lend the benefit of proven competencies in brand building, national marketing and distribution to the cottage units that manufacture agarbattis.

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