Britannia Industries to invest Rs 94 crore for expansion of its Odisha unit

Britannia Industries Limited Friday announced an investment of Rs 94 crore for the expansion of its manufacturing plant in Odisha's Khurda district to cater to the growing demand for its products across multiple categories.

The company has planned to invest Rs 94 crore to add two new manufacturing lines that will increase its capacity by 85 per cent from the current 35,000 metric tonne to 65,000 metric tonne per annum. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to inaugurate the expansion project.

The new capacities will be operational by October, 2022 and enable the company to increase production of its core brands including Marie Gold, Vita Marie Gold.

As part of its commitment to continuously embed sustainability into its business operations, the plant will focus on water neutrality/zero water discharge and reduce and recycle waste from its operations, a company spokesperson said.

"The investment is in line with our expansion plans to scale-up capacities of company's core brands and augments its reach across the country. Moreover, the new production lines will enable us to cater to the growing demand within Odisha and strengthen our presence in the eastern parts of the country," Britannia Industries' Managing Director Varun Berry said.

The expansion is also part of the company's commitment to support the state government's vision to develop Odisha as a manufacturing hub, Berry added.

The existing facility in Odisha currently employs 700 people and after this expansion the company will additionally employ up to 450 people taking the total number to 1,150.

The expanded facility will feature fully automated processing and packing lines, as well as the latest warehousing infrastructure to optimize supply chain and quality management. Some key technology and sustainability highlights include 100 per cent automation, zero water discharge, rainwater harvesting and monitoring the ground water table, they said.