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FMCG player Ruchi Soya Industries plans to re-enter the soya milk category with a modified offering and possibly a new brand. The maker of Nutrela brand of soya nuggets and edible oil had entered the soya milk category under the N’rich brand in 2008 and subsequently pulled out. Later, it had also introduced another brand Soya fresh in glass bottles. It is now planning to reformulate its soya drink offering to re-enter the still nascent category.
“Being a leader in the soya category, we did think of a soya drink in the past under brands such as N’rich and SoyaFresh. But due to issues like packaging we had to keep a low profile with the brand and also exit the category. Today, we are looking at re-entering the category with a soya-based drink,” said Dinesh Shahra, Founder and Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries.
N’rich was a soya-based protein drink in fruit-based flavours such as apple and kiwi and positioned as a healthy beverage in a tetra pack.
Currently, the soya milk category is dominated by international brands such as Silk and Soyfresh and even indigenous brands such as Sofit (Hershey Foods) and Staeta Soy Milk (ProSoya Foods). Even Hindustan Unilever had made a splash into the category under Kissan Soya Milk in 2011.
Being a non-dairy product, soya milk targets lactose intolerant consumers, but the taste has been the biggest hindrance for the acceptability of the product. Even big players such as HUL are struggling to get volumes for its Kissan soya milk despite extensive research and development on the product.
“Masking the taste is the biggest challenge for soya milk brands. Once any of the players manages to do that, only then will the category get easily accepted in India. However, Indians are getting more aware about the benefits of soya and this should also lead to making these soya milk brands more acceptable going forward,” says a marketing analyst.
Meanwhile, Mumbai-based ProSoya Foods which has been selling one of the first indigenous brands Staeta for the past eight years has recently roped in Australian fast bowler Brett Lee to endorse its brand and also help in growing the category in India.
The soya milk category is estimated at Rs 50 crore and has a CAGR at 50 per cent.
Purvita@thehindu.co.in
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