Al Foah India Private Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of Al Foah Co (UAE), is planning to set up date parlours in the country to sell its numerous products such as date shake, date juices, energy bars, date cakes and date ice-creams.

After releasing the products into the local market, Mr Avinash Kant Kumar, Asia Business Director, told reporters here on Thursday that, “Andhra Pradesh is one of the biggest markets for our products with a consumption of over 500 tonnes of Date Crown. The customer response has been very encouraging. We plan to expand our offerings with dedicated date parlours all over the country.”

Currently, he said, the company was selling its products through 25,000 stores in 35 cities. “We are aiming at Rs 50 crore sales turnover during the current financial year and we plan to enhance it to Rs 200 crore in the next couple of years,” he said and added that the company had come a long way in two years.

He said dates were good for people of all ages and those living in different climatic zones. They are high in calories, with seven vitamins and 11 minerals. “Dates have low glycemic index leading to slow and gradual absorption of energy by the body, making calorie intake healthier. We do constant research on the varieties of dates and are currently working on a variety of dates that will be suitable for those suffering from diabetes. The clinical trials are going on,” he said.

Mr Kumar said India was the largest consumer market for dates and almost the entire quantity was being imported. The country is importing 2.5 lakh tonnes of dates, making it a Rs 2,000-crore industry. The company has five million consumers at present. “The superior packaging processes lead to an assured shelf life of one year for our products,” he said.

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