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Purvita Chatterjee

No plans to increase costs for the rest of its biscuit brands

Mumbai , Nov. 17

Among its plethora of brands, Parle Products has chosen its regular Marie brand for a price increase. While re-launching the brand, Parle Products has decided to hike the price by Rs 2.

Changing its name from Marie Choice to Parle Marie, the biscuit major is exercising its pricing power after a gap of several years. Parle Marie is now pegged at Rs 12 for 200 gm from its earlier Rs 10 price point.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr B. Krishna Rao, Senior Product Manager, Parle Products, said, "While there have been attempts to increase the price of our Marie brand, all these years we have kept the price of the regular Marie brand at Rs 10. But now with the change in name and packaging, we have decided to increase the pricing for the brand to take it up to Rs 12."

Premium variant

With an eight per cent volume share in the Marie category, Parle has also been trying to grow the category with its value-added premium variant - Marie Digestive (pegged at Rs 13 for 200 gm). "The Marie category is growing at 20 per cent and the new variant has not eaten into the shares of our regular Marie,'' stated Mr Rao. However, there are no plans of hiking prices for the rest of its biscuit brands, including its largest selling glucose brand - Parle G. "We have not taken a price hike for Parle G in the past 12 years and there are no intentions of hiking its price," added Mr Rao. The price of Parle G continues at Rs 4 for 100 gm.

Having extended the equity of Parle G as a premium variant under Magix in the past, the biscuit company has decided to discontinue the premium association with the brand. Magix is now under the umbrella of the company name.

"Parle G is no longer associated with the premium category and Magix is under the company's name," claimed Mr Rao. The biscuit company has been trying to move its other brands up the value chain with more premium offerings. After introducing a premium Marie variant (Marie Digestive), it has also taken its Hide & Seek brand to a more premium offering under Milano.

New roll format

Besides, it has also decided for the first time to import a new roll format of biscuits from a company (Baker's Pride) based in Oman. Parle Golden Arcs is pegged at Rs 25 and will be sold through select upmarket outlets.

Adds Mr Rao, "We are testing the brand in the Indian market and depending on the volumes we may decide to manufacture the product."

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