ITC vegetable, fruits to be available in 7 metros in next 3 yrs

FMCG major ITC will expand its Farmland range of vegetables and fruits, and Master Chef range of frozen products to seven metro in next three years.
Presently, ITC is selling fresh potatoes and apples under the Farmland brand and dehydrated onions and prawns under its Master Chef brand in in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore.
In the next three years, we would have a complete range in all the seven metro. In a three year time frame, portfolio of Farmland and ITC Masterchef, whatever we want to put, all will be complete," said ITC Agri Business and IT Group Head S Sivakumar.

The company will first develop the infrastructure in the city and consolidate its position and then move to other markets as par of its strategy.
"We would develop our channel and then fill it up and then we would roll out in other markets," he added.
Presently, ITC Master Chef prawns are sold in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore.

On being asked about the new vegetables or fruits, which will be launched by ITC under its Farmland range, he said: "The work happens in all the products and depending on where we see opportunity of matching with the consumer need, then we decided to roll out".

ITC, which has forayed into the milk segment through its brand Aashirvaad last week in Munger, Bihar has plans to extend it to other neighbouring regions.
"This would also happen in the neighbouring states," he said, adding that it would also depend on availability of milk.
However, he also said that there is no targeted marketing efforts by the company in this segment like other products.
"In case of milk, the focus is elsewhere. In case, we get more milk then, we are selling it. Our focus in the milk segment is on value added products (as ghee and dairy whitener)," Sivakumar said.

ITC, which has also introduced Ghee under its Aashirvaad brand portfolio, has plans to take it on national level. Presently, it is available in Delhi-NCR and Southern state markets.
The company also mulling to introduce variants in the ghee segment according to the regional preferences.