Feb 7, 2013: Marico which had presence in the branded rice segment with its brand ‘Arise’ under the Saffola brand has decided to drop the brand as they are not getting sufficient volumes. According to CEO, Consumer Products Division Marico, Saugata Gupta “We have defocused on branded rice under Arise, as it was not going to be the route to profitability in the long term. The brand is currently restricted to certain modern trade outlets”. The company which had positioned Saffola as cooking oil had launched branded rice under the Saffola brand called Saffola Rice in 2010.
Marico was trying hard to position Saffola Arise as a niche product and also had released a commercial highlighting the benefits of Arise. They had segmented the brand as ‘every day’ rice but the fact remains that Indian consumers will not pay a premium for rice as it is still considered an essential commodity. Though Saffola Arise had not given enough volumes, the brand is doing well with its other extensions such as salt, atta, muesli and oats.
