From Fizz To Fruity: Parle Agro’s Journey In Beverage Innovation

On the turbulent and continually developing terrain of the beverage industry, Parle Agro enjoys its uniqueness as a world-known organization that carefully shares the position of being a leader in technology creation and tasty drink unveiling. Be it from an early stage that the company had when it was only producing a small range of drinks to the place it has now i.e. a groundbreaking company that challenges norms and changes the beverage sector, Parle Agro has continuously expressed its interest in where the game is heading.

Source : ET Retail

Parle Agro, an extension of the same Parle Products family, went back to the year 1929 when it was established as an enterprise of the Chauhan family in British India by the members of the community living in Vile Parle Mumbai. The original Parle company underwent a strategic division, resulting in three distinct entities, each under the ownership of different factions within the Chauhan family: The original Parle company underwent a strategic division, resulting in three distinct entities, each under the ownership of different factions within the Chauhan family:

Parle Products: Headed by Vijay, Sharad, and Raj Chauhan, this division owns renowned brands such as Parle-G, Melody, Mango Bite, Poppins, Kismi Toffee Bar, Monaco, and Krack Jack.

Parle Agro: Led by Prakash Chauhan and his daughters, this segment holds ownership of popular brands including Frooti and Appy Fizz.

Parle Bisleri: Under the leadership of Ramesh Chauhan, this division focuses on the Bisleri brand.

All three companies proudly retain the family trademark name “Parle.”

Source : FoodTechBiz

Parle Agro started its activity as an enterprise in 1984 concentrating mainly on manufacture of beverages. During the course of the company, the strategy had been to diversify its sector and had shown results in the launch of bottled water in 1993, plastic packaging in 1996, and confectionery in 2007. Incredibly, the first product from Parle Agro company, Frooti, started in 1985 and now it has taken the crown as the leading mango drink in the Indian market. The company’s continual efforts towards innovation and quality have facilitated its survival as a major player in the market.

The original Parle company spontaneously underwent a benign emancipation, consequently leading to the initiation of three separate and non-contending businesses. Despite this, the “Parle” trade mark dispute came up when Parle Agro decided to expand its operations into confectionery business, and so it collided directly with Parle products. In February 2008, Parle Products took a legal action against Parle Agro challenging the latter’s use of the brand “Parle” for capturing the rivalry in the confectionary product market.

After that, Parle Agro reacted by introducing a fresh new design for its candy products that removed the ‘Parle ‘brand name. During the year 2009, the decision of the case was handed down by the Bombay High Court affirming Parle Agro’s permission to market its sweets under the brand name of “Parle” or “Parle Confi” and requiring proper labelling with clear mention that the two companies operate independently and that Parle Agro in no way have any affiliation with Parle Products.

Company Highlights 

Parle Agro: Business Model

Parle Agro’s strategic approach to Brand Building and Category Creation underscores a commitment to innovation. The company continually pioneers the development of new beverages and categories, exemplified by the successful launch of Appy in the competitive mango drink segment. Prioritizing brand loyalty, Parle Agro actively nurtures established brands such as Frooti and Appy, ensuring a robust and enduring connection with its customer base.

In terms of a Strong Distribution Network, Parle Agro boasts an extensive reach through a network of over 7500 channel partners, effectively penetrating 2 million outlets across India. Recognizing the evolving landscape of consumer habits, the company proactively collaborates with e-commerce platforms to leverage digital channels and broaden its online presence.

Highlighting their Manufacturing Capabilities, Parle Agro operates state-of-the-art facilities with a network of 84 manufacturing plants nationwide. This strategic infrastructure ensures efficient production and distribution, contributing to the company’s overall operational excellence.

Innovating their approach to the bottled water market, Parle Agro employs a Franchise Model for their Bailley brand. This localized production strategy involves collaboration with entrepreneurs across India, allowing for the establishment of factories every 100-200 kilometers. This approach not only caters to regional preferences but also ensures wider availability, strengthening the brand’s market position.

By seamlessly integrating these elements, Parle Agro has solidified its standing as a dominant player in the Indian beverage market. The company’s unwavering focus on brand building, efficient distribution, and strategic manufacturing practices positions them for sustained and remarkable growth in the industry.

Marketing Strategies Of Parle Agro

Focus on Affordability:

Parle Agro is committed to providing a spectrum of beverages tailored to diverse price points, ensuring accessibility for price-sensitive rural consumers.

Building Brand Image:

a.Celebrity Endorsements:

Leveraging the influence of popular celebrities, Parle Agro strategically promotes its products, creating a sense of aspiration, particularly among the younger demographic.

b. Emotional Connect:

Commercial campaigns should really pay attention to what emotions they can provoke in order to make you feel nostalgic and so get closer to your most intoxicating moments with your beverages. Of course their aim should be the best to catch those positive emotions for you and your beverages.

c.Social Media Engagement:

Making use of the digital ebbing tides is our priority, taking advantage of social media as a perfect space to optimally connect and communicate with followers, plus creating unique content to spur the level of the interaction among members and a dynamic brand circle.

Effective Advertising Channels:

a. Television Commercials:

Utilizing the power of television advertising, Parle Agro ensures mass reach and heightened brand visibility, strategically placing ads during major events such as the Indian Premier League (IPL).

b. In-store Promotions:

Collaborating with retailers, we implement eye-catching displays and promotional offers to influence purchase decisions at the point of sale, effectively capturing consumer attention and driving sales.

Parle Agro brands

Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd is a distinguished entity operating across three key business verticals:

1. Beverages

Frooti: Introduced in 1985, Frooti emerged as India’s exclusive beverage packaged in Tetra Pak at its launch, subsequently becoming the country’s leading mango drink.

Appy: Launched in 1986, Appy Classic, initially packaged in white Tetra Pak, marked India’s first apple nectar. As of 2011, it is presented in black Tetra Pak packaging.

Appy Fizz: Debuting in 2005, Appy Fizz stands as India’s pioneering sparkling apple drink, presented in a champagne-shaped PET bottle.

Saint Juice: Launched in 2008, Saint Juice offers three variants – Orange, Mixed Fruit, Grape, and Apple, with a unique selling proposition of “100% juice with no added color, sugar, or preservatives.”

LMN: Introduced in March 2009, LMN is a non-carbonated lemon drink or nimbu paani.

Grappo Fizz: Unveiled in 2008, Grappo Fizz is a sparkling grape juice drink, aligning with the success of Parle Agro’s Appy Fizz.

Dhishoom: In 2012, Parle Agro introduced India’s first Jeera Masala Soda, Dhishoom.

Frio: Frio encompasses a range of flavored carbonated drinks available in Lemon, Orange, and Cola flavors.

Cafe Cuba: Launched on 19 May 2013, Cafe Cuba is a carbonated Cuban coffee with a strong flavor and minimal sugar.

Bailley Soda: Introduced in 2010, Bailley Soda features military-themed packaging and grenade-shaped bottles.

Frooti Fizz: Launched in March 2017, Frooti Fizz is a sparkling mango juice drink endorsed by Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, available in various packaging sizes.

2. Water

Parle Agro has introduced Bailley packaged drinking water and pouches of drinking water, although the pouch format is unavailable in Maharashtra State due to regulatory restrictions.

3. Foods

Confectionery:

Mintrox mints (launched in 2008): Hard mint sweets available in two flavors.

Buttercup sweets (launched in 2008): Hard boiled sweets.

Buttercup Softease: A toffee available in four flavors.

Softease Mithai: A toffee available in three flavors.

Kaccha Aam: A toffee.

Snacks:

Hippo: A baked snack available in six flavors.

Hippo Namkeens: An assortment of traditional snacks featuring Aloo Bhujia, Chana Dal, Moong Dal, Sev Bhujia, Masala Peanuts, Khatta Meetha, and Navratan Mixture.

Parle Agro’s diversification into PET performs in 1996 further extended its reach to companies in the beverages, edible oil, confectionery, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, Parle Agro stands out as a prominent player in the ever-evolving beverage industry, marked by a rich history dating back to 1929 and a commitment to continuous innovation. Despite facing legal challenges related to brand competition within the Chauhan family, the company successfully navigated the situation, securing the right to market its confectionery brands distinctively.

Parle Agro’s success story is characterized by a blend of historical legacy, strategic diversification, innovative practices, and effective marketing strategies, positioning it as a dominant force in the Indian beverage market poised for sustained growth.