New Delhi, Aug. 13 :
New Delhi, Aug. 13:
The 'utterly butterly' butter brand is now venturing into different pastures. Amul is all set to launch frozen foods under the 'Snow Cap' brand. From softy cones to frozen pizzas, frozen paranthas, matar paneer and refrigerated raitas, it's taking the 'taste of India' everywhere.
Hitting the market with softy cones and frozen pizzas in a month's time, it will then go in for frozen paranthas, matar paneer and refrigerated raitas over a period of six months. Snow Cap softy cones priced at Rs 5 will be available in 5-6 flavours. Several other products will later be introduced under the brand, the company said.
According to R. S. Khanna, assistant general manager, north
zone, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, (GCMMF),
'The six-inch Rs 20 veg pizzas that we are presently selling through
our franchisees are not really Amul brands as such. We are
offering the outlets pizzas made from Amul cheese which is clearly
mentioned.' For its cold chain products, Amul will utilise the 7000
outlets across India which Amul uses to sell its existing ice cream
range.
Amul will invest about Rs 90 crore in the Snow Cap brand in two years' time. 'With Snow-Cap, real branding will start for Amul in the pizza segment. We will use these outlets to market our frozen pizza brand, which will be priced between Rs 15-20, as also for selling our
ice cream cones. We have tied up with Carrier and Blue Star for providing deep freezers to the franchisee at discounted prices. Investments have already been made for ice cream cone vending machines,' said Khanna.
For frozen pizzas, distribution will extend beyond Amul franchisees, he added. Beginning in early July, Amul has opened about 140 such outlets in Gujarat and Delhi, with a target of opening 3,000 in three months in 300 cities. Around 300-500 outlets have been planned for Calcutta, which will be set up by the end of the week, Khanna said. Operations in Mumbai have also started.
As a concession to franchisees during the initial six months, no brand fee will be charged even after they start marketing Snow Cap frozen pizzas, he said. This also benefits Amul, giving it a cost-effective distribution network, which would otherwise have cost it a fortune
if it had to set one up on its own, he said.
Presently, on an average, an outlet is selling 70 baked pizzas a day, at a profit margin of Rs 8 per pizza, he said.