The Hindu Business Line : Tetra Pak sees opportunity in nutrition products

Tetra Pak India, part of the global packaging major Tetra Pak, is exploring the nutrition platform as a brand new line of business opportunity in the domestic market.

The company which packages juices, milk and pharma products, in easy-to-carry and preserve wrappings, is aiming at getting into nutrition products for school kids, according to Mr Brian Hinchliffe, Director, South India.

Soups, delicacies such as basundi, desserts and a range of kitchen products would also be available in Tetra Pak packages. . At present more than 50 per cent of milk and juices are packed in Tetra Pak containers, he told Business Line here.

Manufacturing facility

The company's main manufacturing plant in Pune produces 3.5 billion packs per annum. While the domestic market is consuming just over a billion packs, the rest is exported to countries such as China, Africa and South-East Asia.

Hence, for the new line of business products or expansion, the capacities would be adequate, he said.

Alcohol in cartons

Pharma and spirits are two other areas, which promise to grow in the future. The UB Group's Spirit Division launched alcohol in Tetra Pak cartons in Maharastra last year and in Karnataka early this year. Four brands — Bagpiper, Director's Special, Green Label and Celebration Rum are now available in 180 ml Tetra Pak cartons in these States.

With the Andhra Pradesh Regional Profit Centre (RPC) of the UB Group, Tetra Pak made a hardsell to the State Government to launch Bagpiper Whisky in cartons of 180 ml.

Tamper-proof

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the RPC, Mr Rajasekhar, said, "In addition to the convenience of packaging, the Tetra Pak format also ensures it is tamper-proof and exhibits the company's value addition to the consumer."

Globally, Tetra Pak packages are popular with wines. Table wine in Argentina, for example, is widely sold in Tetra Paks. The packages are light, have zero breakage and once opened cannot be resealed, which gives them a big advantage with the consumer, Mr Hinchliffe said.