PUNE, Jan 28: The Chakan Oil and Allied Products Ltd (COAPL) has set up a Rs 2.5-crore packaging plant for its premium quality sunflower and groundnut oils here with plans to set up five more plants in the rest of the country, Chakan Vegoils Ltd managing director Nitin Lunkad said.The 1 litre TetraPak pouches will be available in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh from February 15 with plans to eventually introduce such packs all over the country by 1999. Lunkad added that when they introduce the product nationally, they would need to set up packaging plants in each region. The oil would be transported in bulk and packed locally since transportation is a major cost.
Lunkad said conventional packing would continue for the existing 2 and 5 litre jars. Lunkad admitted that the MRP of the 1 litre pouches would be higher, and the company would bear the additional cost of about 25 per cent, while passing on 75 per cent to the consumer. The brands being launched include Chaksun gouldrefined sunflower oil, Rocket filtred groundnut oil and Sunglow refined sunflower oil.
COAPL, which has projected a turnover of Rs 45 crore for 1997-98, expects it to go up to Rs 75 crore in 1998-99 through the introduction of yet another product by April 1998 along with the TetraPak pouches. The new, yet-to-be-announced product and the TetraPak pouches are expected to contribute Rs 25 crore to the turnover.
Lunkad stressed that his effort was to eliminate the sale of loose oil from the market.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
