Kerala-based Manjilas Group is gearing up to hit the market with a host of ready-to-eat (RTE) products. The company, which markets a range of food products including rice and rice-based products under the Double Horse brand, expanded its portfolio of food products with the launch of jam and whole-wheat atta.
“We are already in the ready-to-eat segment in a small way, but we are planning to launch more products from the existing portfolio,” Vinod Manjila, director of administration, told Indiaretailing. The company is planning to introduce instant food products such as chapatis and Kerala porottas very soon.
The company will set up a food park in Palakkad district, Kerala. “We are expecting it to be operational by the middle of 2008. This facility will help consolidate the company’s operations and will involve an investment of Rs 5 crore,” Manjila said.
Asked about business turnover, he informed: “Last year we clocked in a turnover of Rs 65 crore, and for this fiscal the target is to touch Rs 121 crore.” Out of this, 70 per cent revenue comes from the Kerala market itself, 15 per cent from across the country, and another 15 per cent from exports.
Asked about exports, Manjila said: “At present we export our food products to 22 countries, which mainly include the Middle East, the United States and a few European countries. We are looking at about 50 countries over the course of the next one year.” The company intends to focus on exports to Europe and also to strengthen the Double Horse brand’s presence in the West Asian region.
The company has a product portfolio that includes 18 varieties of rice and 90 other products including rice-based products, pickles, curry mixes and cooking pastes. Its newly launched jam and whole-wheat atta will be sold under the Double Horse brand. The jam comes in two flavours – mixed fruit and pineapple – and is enriched with calcium.
The company has four manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
