Oct 26, 2014: ITC, the makers of the popular Yippee Noodles, Bingo chips and Sunfeast biscuits is all set to venture into the coffee business. Well, the firm will be soon entering the instant coffee and filter coffee market segments in 2015. The product to be introduced by ITC is still in the development phase, but company has started with the process of fixing an advertising agency for its upcoming product.
The agencies such as Grey, Dentsu, Rediffusion Y&R, Contract, Bates and Mudra have come up with presentations in ITC’sBangaloreoffice. The firm’s General Manager Brands, Foods Business, G K Suresh is overseeing the process. The agencies have also claimed that they are asked to make the pitch presentation for instant as well as filter coffee. The firm has also asked them to suggest a brand name and the best way to launch the upcoming products.
The Chief Executive for Foods Division at ITC, Chitranjan Dar did not confirm the development, but claimed that ITC is exploring and evaluating new categories at regular intervals in each of its businesses. And, it is a policy that the firm would not discuss its future strategies and plans. However, the sources suggest that ITC would be launching its coffee brand in the second half of the next year, starting off with the South Indian markets.
Initially, the company would be launching the brand name and the brand identity. Platinum Media that is a part of the Madison Media Group is said to be frontrunner in taking the media mandate of the new brand.
In the meantime, ITC is also planning to announce a new ready to drink juice brand dubbed B Natural that was added to its product portfolio following its acquisition of Balan Natural Foods based out of Bangalore earlier this year.
