GlaxoSmithKline to take Horlicks to slums, rural areas

In order to widen its customer base and expand reach, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd (GSKCH) will targeting urban slums and the rural areas for its flagship brand Horlicks drink, a senior company official said Friday.

"We want to bring people living in slums to our fold. We will educate the slum people, children and the doctors there on malnutrition and also promote Horlicks," executive vice president, sales, Sidharth Singh told reporters here.

The company will run the slum initiative in Chennai and Mumbai.

According to Sidharth Singh, the company currently sends Horlicks to around 1.5 million stores in the country and plans to add a similar number to its distribution fold by going to rural markets.

The company hopes to penetrate the slum and the rural markets with its Rs.5 sachets.

Sidarth Singh said the company has various pack sizes to suit the different pockets.

Speaking of the rural market he said the company would choose a woman in a village who would talk about nutrition and also sell the products.

Queried about the company's online sales, he said the volume is very small and is for specialty products like Mother's Horlicks.

According to executive vice president, marketing, Jayant Singh, the Horlicks range of drink products earned around Rs.2,750 crore last year and the non-drink products fetched around Rs.250 crore.

He said the composition of classic Horlicks has been modified making it more miscible in hot and cold milk.