Dabon Intl scouts for partners, acquisitions in India

Dabon International, a joint venture between the Bongrain of France and Dabur India, today said it is scouting for local partners for giving a boost to its business in the country and is also open for acquisitions.

"We are looking for partners in India as we want to grow our business in the country," Dabon International Chief Executive Officer Claude Betrand told PTI on the sidelines of a CII event.

Dabur India had forged the venture with 50:50 joint venture with Bongrain of France in 1996 for manufacturing cheese and other milk-based products, and the company had set up a manufacturing plant in Noida.

Betrand said, the company is looking for a partnership for setting up a manufacturing unit particularly in the dairy segment.

"We need local partner with better understanding of the Indian market and with whom, we could do technology transfers," he said.

Besides this, the company is also scouting for acquisitions in the domestic market.

In India, there is a lot of potential in the dairy segment but it is very fragmented and to set up a large manufacturing unit in the country, one would require assured milk supply, which is very difficult in the current situation, Betrand said.

Bongrain is looking for a company which has assured supply of milk and in which, we can add value through our technology, he added.

Asked about the investments, he declined to give numbers but said the company is committed to make investments in India and "it will be 10's of million Euros".

As per the information available Dabon markets 20 different varieties of cheese under LeBon brand and Milkana brand.