Summer is coming and beverages have to do their part, quenching thirst and keeping up energy levels.

Entering the market with a lassi is Danone, a €19 billion, global food company and leader in diary products.

The packaged lassi will be available in three flavours – masala, sweetened and mango. The Managing Director, Mr Jochen Ebert announced the launch of the product in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore on Wednesday.

The lassi has been specially developed to suit the Indian palate. It is fortified with four nutrients and priced at Rs 15 for 165 ml. It will be available across retail and modern trade outlets in these four cities, the company said.

Danone India has made arrangements to get the drink exclusively produced at Dynamix, based in Baramati, Maharashtra to meet the demands. The company has its own factory in Haryana, which was made operational in November 2011, and produces yoghurt and chocolate milk cereal snack.

“Our entry into the lassi market follows the packaged yoghurt, which was launched in India two years ago and is doing well. We are learning from the Indian consumer and will keep launching products that suits them with a blend of Danone expertise and Indian taste,” Mr Ebert told Business Line in a telephonic chat.

Nascent market

The Indian market for yoghurt is around 2-3 million tonnes in a year. Over 90 per cent of this is home made. The per capita consumption is 2-3 kg. In the case of packaged yoghurt, the market is around 100,000 tonnes and the per capita consumption is 0.1 kg. In comparison, the per capita consumption in France, Germany is around 25 kg. Therefore we see a big opportunity for these products in the future, he said.

>soma@thehindu.co.in

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Published on March 7, 2012