Kokuyo Camlin begins operations from Patalganga Plant

India, Mumbai, 28^thApril 2017 (TGN) : Kokuyo Camlin, the pioneers and leading manufacturer of wide range of stationery and colour material as well as art material, has begun operations from its new factory in Patalganga, Maharashtra. With an investment of Rs. 100 crore, thePatalgangafactory located at MIDC will serve as a hub for meeting demand in the Indian market as well as fulfilling the role of a manufacturing centre of products for Japan and other international markets. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri DevendraFadnavis inaugurated the plant.
Strategically located near the Nava Sheva port, the Kokuyo Camlin Patalganga plant is spread over 56,000 sq. mt. with a 27,268 sq.mt.of factory and office complex.  The built up area will be the largest in scale among Kokuyo Group stationery factories in Japan, along with China, Vietnam and Thailand.
With the opening of the Patalganga Plant, Kokuyo Camlin has combined the production facilities that were distributed within Maharashtra thereby creating a total production floor space that is twice in size when compared to combined floor space of existing factories. Kokuyo Camlin products having a Number One share in the Indian market such as markers, mechanical pencils, crayons etc will now be manufactured here, which will strengthen the supply-chain infrastructure and enhance production efficiency.

There are plans in the offing for further advancements by injecting the Kokuyo Group’s know–how in R&D, Production, Production Technology and Quality Control.  The plant has complete end-to-end production capability and this would result in reduction in the production cost owing to reduced transportation cost and enhanced production efficiency. Furthermore, Kokuyo Camlin expects reduction in logistics cost by direct dispatch from the new factory to all over India.

The new Kokuyo Camlin factory will manufacture more than 200 different product SKUs and will also maintain a permanent R&D facility of the Inks, Adhesive and the Plastics Injection Moulding. With the Personnel of diverse skills and experience gathering in one place and collaborating in an organic manner, Kokuyo Camlin plans to run various programs as a centre for giving birth to the creative, innovative and high-value-added products. 

Also gracing the occasion were Mr. Yasuhiro Kuroda, Director and Vice Chairman, Kokuyo Co. Ltd, Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to India and Sheetal Teli-Ugale, District Collector and District Magistrate, Raigad.

About Kokuyo Camlin Ltd.

Find out about Kokuyo Camlin Limited@  www.kokuyocamlin.com

25% dabba traders shift to organised platforms

•Discount brokers see 15% growth in new clients and 20% jump in trading volumes after the note ban

Mumbai,  April,  2017 (TGN) : About 25 per cent of dabba traders, who provide illegal, off-market trading facilities, have shifted to organised exchanges, fearing action such as demonetisation and raids by the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the regulator.
As a result, discount brokers have turned out to be beneficiaries of this shift owing to their low transaction costs compared to full-service brokers.
Three leading discount brokers — 5paisa.com, Zerodha and Samco Securities— which account for most of the market share, have witnessed a 15 per cent growth rate in their client base and 20 per cent growth in business volumes over the last three months.
Trade sources estimate there are 25-30 dabba operators each in all major centres such as Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Nashik and Indore. Their business came to a standstill because of the liquidity crisis following demonetisation in November.
The IIFL discount brokerage arm, 5paisa.com, expects big opportunities in growing the discount brokerage market in India. Discount brokers like 5paisa are online stockbrokers, offering cheap brokerage plans to retail and institutional investors in India.
Planning to list the company on stock exchanges in July this year, 5paisa estimates that the discount broking market will contribute 50-60 per cent of the retail turnover in the next two-three years. This prediction is backed by the fact that the concept of discount broking in India has been borrowed from the US, where 70 per cent of retail volumes happen through discount brokers.
According to Prakarsh Gagdani, chief executive officer, 5paisa.com, “With technology and mobile penetration at the forefront, retail broking in India is poised to witness a tectonic shift. Discount broking will not just grow exponentially and take a large chunk of the market share in next three-five years but will also expand the retail participation in stock markets.”
After demonetisation, 5paisa.com added around 100 members, with its business volumes increasing to ~15,000 crore per day now from ~12,000 crore per day early November.
“A lot of traders have shifted to exchanges after demonetisation. So, not only discount broking but also full-service brokers have seen a sharp increase in enrolments after the note ban. Dabba traders deal in cash, which went out of the system after demonetisation. Since they want to remain in business, they are coming to the organised system of trade.,” said Nitin Kamath, founder and chief executive officer, Zerodha.
“The major benefit for traders is the cost of transaction, which works out to nearly a third of dabba trading and less than a fourth of full service brokers. So, the shift from the unorganised to organised trade has been happening more aggressively now than ever before,” said Jimeet Modi, founder and chief executive officer, Indian Trading League (Samco Ventures).
While the number of regular brokers declining over the past three years, discount brokerages have been gaining popularity with retail investors as they offer a flat brokerage rate, irrespective of the trade size as compared to traditional full-service brokers, who charge a certain percentage of the trade value.Ends.

Telit Boosts Presence in India with Major R&D Center in Bangalore

 New Delhi, April 16, 2017 (TGN) –Telit, a global enabler of the Internet of Things (IoT), is expanding its presence in India with a substantial R&D center in Bangalore. With the recent acquisition of Silicon Valley-based GainSpan Corporation, a wireless connectivity solution provider specializing in design and development of ultra-low power Wi-Fi technology, Telit gained about 60 software development, application and support engineers in one of India’s top high-tech regions.

The new Telit R&D center will continue working on Wi-Fi technologies for battery-powered devices along with related intellectual property (IP) in embedded software, including network stacks and application reference designs. Efforts from the Bangalore team have resulted in state-of-the-art developments in Wi-Fi and advanced security protocols, reflected in key patents that have influenced Wi-Fi industry standards. Wi-Fi is a desirable technology for IoT applications and the arrival of ultra-low-power options opens the door to a vast market of battery-powered application areas that have been protracted to date.

ABI Research forecasts the global wireless connectivity market, excluding cellular, to reach more than 10 billion annual integrated circuit shipments by 2021, with 47% of devices enabled by Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi will see its most significant growth in IoT verticals, such as wearables, automotive, the smart home, and other nascent IoT verticals that demand low power. With the new Bangalore R&D center, Telit bolsters its foothold in India and augments talent and capabilities critical to maintaining its innovation leadership edge. The strategic move will enable Telit customers to benefit from an extensive end-to-end IoT solutions portfolio, now addressing the growing market of battery-powered devices that rely on Wi-Fi and other low-power technologies.

“With the new Bangalore R&D center, we look forward to working closely with our solution partners to help our customers leverage the power of an IoT solutions portfolio that now addresses the full gamut of technologies for the growing market of battery-powered devices, including Wi-Fi, BLE and other low-power technologies,” said Ashish Gulati, Country Head, Telit India.“Access to the existing GainSpan talent at the Bangalore facility brings Telit into a leadership position in technology development capabilities. The resulting combined R&D strength helps us to deliver even more comprehensive solutions to our target segments and customers.”

The recent acquisition of GainSpan strengthens the company’s “sensor-to-cloud” solution proposition and positions Telit to better exploit new short range opportunities leveraging existing products including cellular, BT/BLE, GNSS modules; IoT connectivity and platform services. The integration of the unique variety of low-power Wi-Fi technology from GainSpan, with low standby current and fast wake-up time into the Telit portfolio enables customers to extend the battery life of their devices for years. Additionally, customer devices can be designed with a simple and inexpensive MCU or without one at all, enabling increased sales to existing customers and the capture of customers in new segments. Ends.

Garuda Indonesia and Wonderful Indonesia Celebrate Direct Air Connectivity To Boost Tourism

From L-R :Mr. kishore Bukane-Sales Manager, Garuda Indonesia, Mumbai,  Mr.Sampiriyanto, Country Manager-Garuda Indonesia India , Mr Saut Siringoringo, Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai and Ms. Shelly Chandhok – Country Manager (VITO-Mumbai) Visit Indonesia Tourism Office, Wonderful Indonesia.during the event at Garuda Indonesia,Mumbai Office at Nirman Kendra, Mahalaxmi. – Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar TGN

From L-R : Mr.Sampiriyanto, Country Manager-Garuda Indonesia India , Mr Saut Siringoringo, Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai and Ms. Shelly Chandhok – Country Manager (VITO-Mumbai) Visit Indonesia Tourism Office, Wonderful Indonesia.during the event at Garuda Indonesia,Mumbai Office at Nirman Kendra, Mahalaxmi. – Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar TGN. 

Mumbai, April 2017 (TNG) : Garuda Indonesia and Wonderful Indonesia organized an Open House and Hi Tea session for the Media on Thursday 13th April, 2017 at the former’s Mumbai office at Nirman Kendra, Near Famous Studio, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. The session was presented by Mr. Sampiriyanto, Country Manager-Garuda Indonesia India , Mr Saut Siringoringo, Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai and Ms. Shelly Chandhok – Country Manager (VITO-Mumbai) Visit Indonesia Tourism Office, Wonderful Indonesia.
The major attraction was the“Tumpeng” Indonesian culinary masterpiece and the official national dish of Indonesia.

Tumpeng, the cone shaped rice surrounded by assorted Indonesian dishes (Mix of Air, Land and Sea food) – Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar TGN. 

“We are optimistic Mumbai is a promising market for us, The potential of tourist arrivals from India to Indonesia is quite significant, said Sampiriyanto, Country Manager-Garuda Indonesia, India.
He further added, “This is a growing market that we should tap into in order to attract more visitors.”Indonesia is currently one of the largest markets to India with 350,000 people currently traveling to the region on both business and leisure. This new direct route will not only boost the economic activities between the two countries, but also help towards meeting the Indonesian government’s target to increase inbound tourism to Indonesia from India.

Mr. Saut Siringoringo, Consul General, Republic of Indonesia,Mumbai with Tumpeng …it’s like cake cutting during celebration in Indonesia. – Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar TGN. 

Since the national carrier of Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia started operating flights to Mumbai via Bangkok. The Consul General is hopeful of enhanced flights to Delhi and Ahmedabad in the near future.Having recorded a growth of more than 30% in tourists from India during the 11 months from January to November 2016, Indonesia is now looking at attracting visitors to destinations beyond Bali, and showcase the country as an attractive water sports and golfing destination. Talking about this, Saut Siringoringo, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai, said, “We are focusing on promoting Indonesia beyond Bali in the Indian market. Out of 12 million tourists to Indonesia from across the globe, only 4.4 million visited Bali last year. This shows that the country has much more to offer a new as well as a mature traveller.”

Ms.Shelly Chandhok – Country Manager (VITO-Mumbai) Wonderful Indonesia said, “Our mission this year will
be promoting destinations beyond Bali, it’s time to look to other destinations in Indonesia like Bandung, Banten, Tanjung Lesung, Bangka and Belitung, Lombok,Jakarta,Yogyakarta,Sumatra,Central Java and Flores which is a gateway to Komodo National Park, known for its carnivorous Komodo dragons and waters teeming with sea life, including manta rays and turtles.She further added that after getting approval from the ministry Vito Mumbai and Wonderful Indonesia will arrange for FAM trip for the Media to promote these destinations.

Garuda Indonesia, rated a 5-Star Airline by Skytrax, has launched thrice-weekly, direct flights from Mumbai to Jakarta starting December 12, 2016. Garuda Indonesia became the 20th member of the SkyTeam alliance in March 2014.

The Jakarta-bound service will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and will be operated by Garuda’s state-of-the-art 162-seater, Boeing 737-800 aircraft with a two-class cabin configuration featuring its globally praised Business Class service concept, and the World’s Best Economy Class (Skytrax Global Airline Awards 2013). The airline also received the World’s Best Cabin Crew award by Skytrax for three consecutive years (2014, 2015 & 2016). In 2016, Garuda Indonesia is bestowed with the World’s Most Loved Airline Award by Skytrax, in recognition of the outstanding services being rendered by the airline, globally.Today, the fleet showcases the new “Nature’s Wing” livery and the new Airbus A330-200 with Boeing B777-300ER aircraft featuring flat-bed seats in business and first class with full 180• recline with unparalleled comfort throughout the flight.

This service departs from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 2305 hours and arrives at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta at 1005 hours the next day. On the return leg, the service departs from the Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta at 1255 hours and arrives at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai at 2030 hours. Mumbai to Jakarta and Denpasar (Bali) all-inclusive Economy class return fares starts from INR 25,000 and Business class from INR 62,000.

To celebrate the launch, Garuda Indonesia is running a special return promotional fare valid for travel from February 1 until March 31, 2017. Fares are available for sale with immediate effect till the February 28, 2017.The entry to Mumbai is part of the airline’s international network development programme, as well as manifests its commitment to continuously support Indonesia’s programme to double the number of international tourists visiting the country by 2019. Indonesia is currently one of the largest markets to India with 350,000 people travelling to the region on both business and leisure.Ends.

For further information, please visit www.garuda-indonesia.com

Kokuyo Camlin Celebrates Camel Art Week with series of Art Events

Noted Indian Artist and Sculptor Jatin Das at the Camel Art Week celebration at Welham Boys School in Dehradun.

Saumitra Prasad, Chief Marketing Officer, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd addressing the audience at Welham Boys School in Dehradun on the occasion of World Art Day.

Mumbai, April 15^th 2017 (TGN) :  As part of its annual celebrations of Camel Art Week, Kokuyo Camlin, the pioneers and leading manufacturer of art material, celebrated it with a series of art events including a painting activity organized at the renowned Welham Boys School in Dehradun.  Camel Art week has been organized to commemorate World Art Day, which is on April 15^th,   the birth anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci^.

More than 15 teams hailing from well-known boarding schools from across Dehradun and Mussoorie comprising 15 students from each team participated in creating their creativity on large canvases on the theme of “Future through the eyes of the Past” under the special guidance of their art instructors on April 12^th 2017.

These beautiful paintings created by these school children from across Dehradun and Mussooriewere exhibited on April 13^th2017 at the Welham Boys School, so that the general public could enjoy these paintings.  In a glittering function held at the School all the participants were honored for taking part in the painting activity. Noted Indian Artist and Sculptor Jatin Das was the chief guest.  Other important dignitaries attending the event included Chief Marketing Officer, Kokuyo Camlin – Saumitra Prasad and the school Principal of Wellham Boys School – GunmeetBindra. 

Saumitra Prasad, Chief Marketing Officer, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd said, “It is our honor and pride to bring in Camel Art Week celebrations in collaboration with one of the most reputed schools of the country. Every year we try to innovate and this time we have engaged students from boarding schools of Dehradun and Mussoorie in a painting activity on a unique theme. Our endeavor is to celebrate and popularize the significance of World Art Day among people and especially school students through this activity.”

To add to the celebrations of Camel Art Week, there were a number of workshops organized on various subjects including   Caricature, Calligraphy, Lino/Wood cut etc.  Other than Kokuyo Camlin organizing on-ground activities, they have also taken an initiative to reach out to audiences on social media platforms. One can use the hash tag #ArtWeekChallenge for their posts. The challenge kickstarted on 11th April and saw a tremendous participation by leading artists in India and art communities on Facebook and Instagram. The challenge invites art enthusiasts to put up their work of art every day from the 11th to 14th April and in turn nominate 3 friends to participate as well for a chance to win exclusive Camlin Fine Art hampers worth Rs. 7000/- and a host of other art merchandise as well. Prize winners will be announced on 15th April, World Art Day.

The #ArtWeekChallenge is serving as an inspiration for busy art lovers to pick up their paintbrush, crayons, pens and discover Camlin's relatively newer range of products as well like the Tora doodle pens, Pen Pencil and Brush Pens. Leading Indian art influencers like Ankita Shinde, Neha Sharma, Mira Malhotra, & Pratap Chalke are participating in the challenge.

Camel Art Week was first celebrated in Kolkata, the art capital of the country wherein 5 trams were painted with vibrant themes with the active support of schools, art schools, artists and art educators from the City of Joy.  In 2015, Kokuyo Camlin got children to paint the world’s longest canvas (7.6 KM of it) in Mumbai.  In 2016 Kokuyo Camlin  created 70 paintings with the help of professional artists from Mumbai for the benefit of an NGO working with farmer widows of Vidarbha.

Hamdard launches RoohAfza Fusion, a ready-to-drink beverage for its consumers

Mumbai, April 11, 2017 (TGN) : Hamdard Laboratories India, over a 100 year old iconic FMCG company, and one of the largest and trustworthy names in the realm of health, wellness & beauty enters the ready-to-serve beverage segment with the extension of their 100-year old iconic brand RoohAfza. At an event held today, Hamdard launched “RoohAfza Fusion” for its consumers, after a phenomenal test market exercise.

RoohAfza Fusion is a unique concept that is being launched for the first time in India. It is a unique combination of RoohAfza with pure fruit juice. In addition to the product concept the product formulation too is quite unique & comes from the Herbal/ Unani roots of RoohAfza.Fusion’s formulation has the cooling power of 10 herbs.

Fueled by the ambition to innovate & delight consumers, the launch of RoohAfza Fusion is in line with the massive transformation that is happening at Hamdard Laboratories. With the launch of this brand, Hamdard endeavors to target the youth who aspire for convenience, ‘cool’ & on-the-go formats. The test market of RoohAfza Fusion was carried out in September last year in the Delhi/UP region. This launch was a great success showcasing brilliant results & feedback obtained from 50,000 people (including consumers and trade partners). The product achieved primary sales of approximately 9 Lakh units in the launch month itself. Consumer off-takes recorded live from shelves were more than 70%.

Basis the feedback received from the test launch, the product’s packaging has been revamped to connect better with the target audience by showcasing RoohAfza in a brand new, cool avatar. The packaging change conveys the concept of RoohAfza Fusion aptly and has a better shelf throw. Subsequently, basis the in-depth sensory panel study, the recipes of the product were also tweaked for an even better product experience.

To suit varying taste palates & offering a variety to the discerning consumer, RoohAfza Fusion is available in five exciting flavors namely Refreshing Lemon, Delicious Orange, Juicy Mango, Exciting Pineapple & Orange and Luscious Litchi. 

Speaking at the launch, Mansoor Ali, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Hamdard said “In the last few years, there has been a perceivable growth in the popularity of ready-to-drink fruit juice based beverages, especially amongst youth. This segment is actually the pivotal force that is driving growths in the overall consumption for this category. There is a perceptible shift of consumers towards natural & herbal products, and this is evident with RoohAfza growing in share in Modern & General trade. Keeping the intrinsic qualities of RoohAfza intact with the presence of 10 natural herbs fused with fruit juice, RoohAfza Fusion sits naturally on this positioning. We are confident that RoohAfza Fusion will create the positive disruption required, and prove to be a category shaker. Consumers are going to love this new avatar of their favorite drink.”

RoohAfza Fusion is available in modern Tetrapak aseptic packaging which is known to preserve both the taste & flavor of the product & is offered at a convenient price point of Rs 20 for the 200ml pack. The product will be available across all modern retail and grocery stores in the planned launch markets.

About Hamdard Laboratories India:

Established in 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed as a small Unani clinic, Hamdard is a progressive, research based, health and wellness organization with a focus on developing innovative and natural solutions for the masses based on Unani system of medicine. Hamdard India has a wide portfolio of over 500 natural and herb based products and is amongst the leading Health & Wellness companies in India. Hamdard India is the manufacturer and exporter of the world’s largest range of Unani medicines; exporting to more than 22 countries across the globe. Hamdard’s area of expertise include lifestyle disease management, weight management, skin and hair care, gastro care, men’s health, women’s health, cough and cold wellness products and Unani medicines. The top brands are RoohAfza, Safi, Roghan Badam Shirin, Sualin, Joshina, and Cinkara. With over 100 years of service to health and humanity, Hamdard has today become synonymous with ‘integrity’ and ‘high quality’ and stands as a mission committed to serve and benefit the society at large.

MDAE Graduate Students are the preferred choice of leading organisations for best position and exciting careers

Mumbai, 11th April 2017 (TGN) :  The second batch of 28 students from the Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics graduating in  June this year are set for exciting careers.  A large number of the graduates have already been accepted as employees and interns by leading organisations like Tata, Reliance, ANZ Bank, RBI, IDFC Institute, Colliers International, Deloitte, Tata Insights & Quants, Decimal Point Analytics, Dun & Bradstreet, Sulekha, Kotak, etc.  The students have secured positions like Economists, Policy Researchers, Consultants and Data Scientists.

MDAE students attract recruiters of leading organisations as the Accademy’s cutting edge curriculum equips students with the ability to solve real world problems.  The program which is a One year Postgraduate Diploma in Economics is designed to ‘skill up’ the student in problem solving and analytics, critical thinking, writing and speaking. The program is offered jointly with the Department of Economics, Mumbai University. 

Besides the core subjects like Microeconomics, Macreconomics and Econometrics, the students can opt for specialization in one of the three areas – Finance, Data Analytics and Public Policy.  

The students undergo rigorous training including 350 hours of classroom teaching, weekly interactions with practitioner economists, internships and live projects, and software workshops.  The curriculum has been crafted by Lord Meghnad Desai and practitioner economists from organisations such as the IMF, Wellington Fund, Birla Group, Mint.

Another unique feature of the program is the industry exposure which forms part of the curriculum.  The industry engagements happen through Mentoring, Econ Labs and Speaker Series events.  Each student is assigned a corporate mentor for the entire year.  These mentors are MDs/CFOs/Chief Economists of leading oganisations like Aon Hewitt, Goldman Sachs, Reliance, Crisil, IDFC Institute and Exim Bank.

In the Econ Labs, students engage with practitioner economists and in Speaker Series Events, students hear from leading economists, on live topics that are being debated around the globe.

MDAE has also started a Career Accelerator Program with Deloitte where their risk experts are training their students.

Lord Meghnad Desai is passionate and actively involved with the academy and facilitates connecting the academy with leading economists and institutions around the world, in recruiting the academy’s world-class faculty and its affiliation with leading academic and policy institutions like MIT, LSE, Mumbai University and the IMF.

CBME India 2017 Commences its 5th edition amidst a positive wave in the children, baby and maternity products industry

(L to R):Mr. Rajesh Vohra - Managing Director, CHICCO,Mr. Anuj Jain - Vice President - Brainbees Solutions Pvt Ltd. (FirstCry),Mr. Yogesh Mudras - Managing Director, UBM INDIA, Mr. Naresh Khattar - Managing Director, MEEMEE - PHOTO BY TGN. 

Mumbai, 11^th April, 2017 (TGN) : UBM India launched the 5^th edition of the uniquely positioned Children, Baby Maternity Expo India 2017 (CBME India) today at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The largest children, baby and maternity product business expo in India, the CBME India offers unrivalled business opportunities for local and global manufacturers, and sellers of baby products to connect, network and conduct business.

The inaugural ceremony of CBME India 2017 took place in the presence of key dignitaries, Mr. Anuj Jain - Vice President - Brainbees Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (FirstCry); Mr. Rajesh Vohra – MD,CHICCO; Mr. Naresh Khattar – MD,MEEMEE; Mr. Yogesh Mudras – MD, UBM India and Mr. Abhijit Mukherjee - Group Director, UBM India, amidst asizeable industry gathering. A choice of dealers, distributors, influencers and merchandise heads from modern retail businesses, online retailers, service providers, business investors, and franchisee seekers were also present.

The show has brought together more than 100 exhibitors and over 350 major Indian and global brands.  The expo included world-renowned brands like Chicco, MeeMee, Mother Touch, Sunehri Exports, Cozy N Safe, Florite Baby, Hiplik, BabyCenterIndia, Pooja Creation, Adore Baby, Kaboos, Sebamed, Tiny Bee, Rikang, GAIA Skin Naturals amongst others. Enthusiastic participation from nine countries including China, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, US, UK, Canada, Singapore and Italy for the first time are providing Indian manufacturers with insights into the latest trends and technology, according to industry observers.

An exhaustive spectrum of quality, technologically-advanced and aesthetically pleasing baby care products, toys, baby food, kids wear, maternity products, organic clothing, nutraceuticals, ergonomic furniture, stationery, infant safety technology, brain development tools and more were on display. Most significantly, the event is well-supported by key associations such as the Toy Association of India (TAI), an apex body of the toy fraternity in India representing over 500 industry members; the All India Association of Industries (AIAI); the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and the Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IICCI).

Adjacent to the expo, a two day conference was organised to deliver unique and innovative value propositions to exhibitors and visitors alike. Day 1 focused on the subject of ‘Intellectual Property Law and Licensing’.  A panel discussion on what licensors should expect from the licensees in India and vice versa was held. It also discussed ways to raise awareness of the lucrative benefits of licensing to the Indian business community.

Day 2 will witness a Fashion N Kids Conclavethat will veer on innovations, quality control and technology in the kids wear segment. Topics of discussion will include – ‘Kids wear: An emerging sector in Textile industry in India’, ‘Role of Viscose in kids wear’, ‘Quality control issues in kids wear’, ‘ Innovation inDiaper Technology for kids’, ‘Innovation inGarmenting Techniques’ and ‘Use of Dyes &Chemicals in kids wear’. Panel discussions, presentations and Q & A sessions will also be a part of Day 2.

To lend more perspective, the Cool Kids Fashion India event highlighted premium kids fashion accessories and clothing (age 0-14 years) from both well-known & emerging designers, brands and manufacturers. The Innovation Product Corner showcased creations that highlighted design excellence, product safety, innovations and much more.

Speaking at the inauguration of CBME India 2017, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “The domestic baby, maternity and childcare products market was considered to be a niche industry from an Indian perspective. However, with an increase in disposable income of parents, a change in their consumer habits and a renewed focus on child safety and well-being, this high potential industry is now ready for a major growth spurt that will transform it into an independent and thriving industry. An increasing media exposure, awareness amongst women, the culture of malls and online shopping have provided a platform to the branded segment to launch and position their offerings to India’s affluent consumer base. And yet, apart from conventional practices, stringent rules relating to infant care that rightfully exist, sometimes create a paucity of information and availability of novel products in this segment.”

He added, “It is here that unique initiatives like CBME India play a very important part to provide information and education as well as the inspiration to raise the bar for the children and maternity market. While the baby care and children products are evolving, an even greater potential exists for the maternity products segment that needs to be unravelled.”Ends. 

B Natural launches 100% Pomegranate Juice with a ‘not from concentrate’ twist

Mumbai (TGN) : Actor Shilpa Shetty and Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive of ITC Foods Division during the launch of ITC's B Natural juice at ITC Grand Central Hotel in Mumbai on Monday. 10.04.2017

Shilpa Shetty Kundra during the launch of ITC's B Natural juice in Mumbai on Monday. 10.04.2017-Photo By TGN

~ Announces Shilpa Shetty as Brand Ambassador ~

National / Mumbai, 10 April 2017 (TGN) : ITC’s Foods Division announced the launch of another unique offering from its B Natural range of fruit beverages – B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice. Unlike most other packaged fruit juices available in the market that are made from ‘fruit concentrates’, B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice is made directly from the pulp of 25 hand-picked pomegranate fruits (in each pack), and has no added sugar, color, preservatives or flavor. ITC also revealed health and fitness diva Shilpa Shetty Kundra as the new brand ambassador for B Natural Juices and Beverages.

ITC forayed into the ~Rs 2500 cr. Juices and Nectars (premium packaged fruit drinks) market in 2015 with the acquisition of the B Natural brand. In 2 years, B Natural has established itself as the clear No.3 player in this market with a 6.9% market share. Jamun Joy, with no added sugar was B Natural’s first differentiated variant in the market, followed by the high-decibel launch of B Natural Punjab-da-Kinnow last summer in Punjab and the NCR. With the launch of B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice, and the on-boarding of Shilpa Shetty as brand ambassador, ITC is clearly upping the ante on B Natural. 

Most packaged fruit juices in the market today are made from fruit concentrates which are diluted with water during re-constitution. Thermal treatment of the fruit pulp, by which a concentrate is made, not only affects the eventual taste and flavor of the juice, but may also reduce its nutritive value. B Natural’s 100% Pomegranate Juice however, is made directly from fruit pulp and not from concentrates, thus providing consumers a more nutritive and natural tasting experience.

Pomegranates are a rich source of vitamins and anti-oxidants making them one of the healthiest fruits to consume. The creation and launch of B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice – ‘Pure fruit juice, No concentrate’ is in line with ITC Foods’ vision and commitment towards crafting differentiated offerings in the health and wellness segment.

B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice is manufactured and packed at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bengaluru. It is packed in a six-layer Tetra Pak packaging, which helps retain the freshness and taste of the fruit juice, without the need for added preservatives.

Mr. Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC Foods Division, talking to GPN Network said, “We continue to witness strengthening consumer preferences for healthy, wholesome and nutritious products, and are committed to creating and launching differentiated offers in the health and wellness space across our portfolio. The launch of B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice is a step in this direction. We are committed to offering genuine value to our customers in terms of both health and taste and B Natural Pomegranate Juice is another innovative offering that will delight our consumers.”

Ms. Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Actress and Wellness Enthusiast, addressing GPN Network, said – “B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice is a step towards educating people and helping them make a choice towards a healthy lifestyle. Being an advocate to health and fitness myself, I am proud to be associated with a brand like B Natural. I hope consumers enjoy the new offering and B Natural becomes their brand of choice.”

B Natural 100% Pomegranate Juice will be available selectively at all modern format and top-end general trade outlets across top metros initially.  It will be available in 1 L pack size only, priced at Rs. 199.ENDS.