The Hindu Business Line : Parle Agro enters confectionery market with Simply Imlee

THE Rs 600-crore Parle Agro has entered the confectionery market with its first brand — Simply Imlee. Floating a separate confectionery division within the company, the Mumbai-based beverage company has launched its first confectionery brand in Pune; the brand will also be rolled out to the rest of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and subsequently at a national level.

Speaking to Business Line, Ms Nadia Chauhan, Director - Marketing, Parle Agro Ltd, said, "This is our first confectionery brand and is made of real tamarind which is in a chewy format." Pegged at 50 paise, the company has decided to stay away from boiled candies to make its foray into the confectionery segment with its unique `chewy' format. "It has been a conscious strategy from the beginning that we are not going to be just another candy product. Currently, there is no chewy-based confectionery in the market and we believe this is what will distinguish our confectionery in the market. There will be more innovations and we will create more categories within this segment," she added.

Besides, by entering the confectionery category, the company would be able to enhance the distribution network for its beverage brands as well. Estimating the confectionery outlet base at 38 lakh across the country, Parle Agro would be in a position to beef up its existing beverage distribution.

She said, "Confectionery reaches out to the smallest of outlets and have a large base. It is not limited as the beverage outlets. With the additional outlets we would be in a position to stock our beverages as well." At the same time, the company also expects to reach out to new consumers through beauty parlours and boutiques which stock confectionery as freebies for their customers.

Expecting volumes from its confectionery business, Parle Agro intends launching more brands in the future. "There will be more brands in the future and these will be done in-house, as there is no question of buying out brands," said Ms Chauhan. Grey Worldwide will handle the `Simply Imlee' brand and its campaign will be released once the brand has been rolled out nationally.

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