Calcutta, Nov. 4: Cargill India Pvt Ltd, the Indian arm of the Minnesota-based marketer of food and agricultural products, is planning to re-enter the packaged foods business within three years.

Cargill India chairman Siraj Chaudhry said, “We will be looking at a re-entry into packaged foods. Our interest will be basic cereals. We have to take one step at a time.” He was speaking on the sidelines of a trade symposium organised by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

“Our significant presence in edible oil gives us the base to the next level. We aim to be a world-class food ingredient company in India,” he said.

The company had exited the packaged segment as it was not profitable enough.

“Nature Fresh could be one of the vehicles to re-enter the segment. We are open to extending the Sweekar brand, but no concrete decisions on that has been reached yet,” Chaudhry said.

Cargill acquired the Sweekar brand from Marico for an undisclosed sum.

Cargill India has edible oil brands such as Nature Fresh, Gemini, Rath and Sweekar in its portfolio. It enjoys a 12-14 per cent market share in the organised edible oil segment.

“We feel that packaged foods will help us in furthering our consumer reach,” he said.

At present, the company owns and operates three edible oil refineries located at Paradip in Orissa with a capacity of 900 tonnes per day, Kandla in Gujarat and Kurkumbh in Maharashtra.