The Hindu Business Line : Britannia New Zealand unveils health drink for adults

THE Rs 100-crore Britannia New Zealand Foods Pvt Ltd — a joint venture between Britannia Industries Ltd and Fonterra Co-operative Group of New Zealand — on Friday launched Anlene, a "calcium-enriched malt-based" health drink.

Unlike most of the health drinks available in the country today, the product targets adult age groups who are susceptible to bone decay or osteoporosis (brittle bones disease).

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Anupam Dutta, Head, Britannia New Zealand Foods, said that one out of every three post-menopausal women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis. The primary reason behind the disease is inadequate calcium intake.

According to some available statistics, the disease is more prevalent in India where one out of every two women suffer from bone decay. "Hence, women are the primary target customers for Anlene," Mr Dutta said.

Though men are less prone to suffer from bone decay, globally the disease is prevalent in one out of every eight men above the age of 50.

After launching the product in Kolkata, the company has lined up the next launch in Tamil Nadu next week, to be followed by a national rollout.

Describing Anlene as the first Fonterra brand launched by Britannia New Zealand in the Indian market, Mr Dutta said that the brand is marketed in different formats in 11 countries with a combined turnover of $100 million. "In India we have chosen the malt-based health drink format as it is the most acceptable in the market."

Interestingly enough, Anlene also marks a diversification in the JVs business profile in India, which was so far present in cheese, butter, dairy whitener and ghee. The company has wound up its pouched milk business owing to "lack of competency in sourcing of milk".

Mr Dutta, however, refused to call the entry in health drinks segment as a diversification within the company's business, which was so far restricted to dairy products. "We are a branded food marketing company. Our competency is in marketing. Our partner Fonterra knows the ins and outs of dairy business."

He refused to divulge the future product profile of the company and the growth prospects.

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