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Wipro enters food business

Wipro Press Conference Photo 6

The Consumer Care division of Western India Vegetable Products Limited (Wipro), which has an annual turnover of US$1 billion, has entered food business by acquiring a famous Kerala-based packaged food and spices brand, Nirapara.

Wipro Press Conference Photo 6

“Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, one of the fastest-growing FMCG companies in India, has announced a definitive agreement with Nirapara, a popular traditional food brand. This announcement comes after Wipro’s earlier statement of its foray into the food business in India and international markets. The company aims to become a significant player in the snack food, spices, and ready-to-cook industry,” the company said in a statement.

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Nirapara is known for its blended spices, especially Sambar Powder and Chicken Masala. Launched in 1976 by KKR Group in Ernakulam, Kerala, it is a strong heritage brand with a legacy of 46 years. The company operates in daily consumption categories with a strong brand in Kerala for spices and ready to cook instant mixes. Nirapara is a market leader in Instant Mixes and Rice in GCC countries.

It is also known for its ready-to-cook Puttu Podi. Nirapara is one of the popular brands used by the Indian diaspora across the globe and is part of their daily food regime. Keeping this in mind, GCC countries are the primary focus for Nirapara exports. Around 82 percent of Nirapara’s international revenue comes from GCC countries while 40 percent of their GCC business is from the UAE, and 30 percent is from Saudi Arabia. In the GCC countries, Nirapara products are widely accepted in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

Nirapara is Wipro’s Thirteenth partnership and gives us a clear foothold in the spices and ready-to-cook segment. Wipro has significant presence in GCC countries with well-respected brands like Enchanteur, Yardley of London and Santoor. Nirapara will now be added to the list of these iconic brands. To curate a comprehensive portfolio in the FMCG space, Wipro Consumer has joined hands with Nirapara to produce an extensive range of food products, starting with spices and ready-to-cook products, synonymous with excellent quality.

With this acquisition, the newly-formed Wipro Food Business will now expand its food business across India and the GCC countries – that represents 29 percent of Nirapara’s turnover, officials told the media at a press conference in Dubai.

Anil Chugh, President, Food Business, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, commented on the announcement stating, “We are thrilled to enter the foods market in the GCC countries with Nirapara, the brand which is trusted by Indians across the world. We recognize that spices are core to Indian style cooking and are slowly being used by more people around the world. There is a huge opportunity in this space for introducing products under a brand that has been loved and trusted by consumers for years and in a market that has a demand for authentic, pure, and trusted spice mixes and other ready-to-cook formats.

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“With this partnership, we aspire to be a holistic stop for consumers’ search for flavors that remind them of home, giving them access to everything from spices to ready-to-cook dishes that they relish and love, from back home.”

 A majority of Nirapara’s portfolio consists of Matta rice where they are the market leaders followed by spices at a strong No 2 position. Their Chicken Masala is the leader in the spices portfolio. The brand also offers a large variety of spice mixes and rice powder used to make Appam, Idiyappam, Puttu, Dosa, Idli and more.

 Priyadarshee Panigrahi, Senior General Manager, Wipro Consumer Care, Middle East commented, “We are excited to welcome Nirapara in our brand portfolio beyond Enchanteur and Yardley of London and entering a new segment. Ready-to-Cook (RTC) category is an exciting space, and one can give a lot of exciting offerings not only to Indian consumers, but also to consumers from the entire Indian sub-continent, living outside India. Our strong understanding of the consumer and market, coupled with our robust distribution network will help grow this segment multifold.”

 Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, a part of Wipro Enterprises, is among the fastest growing FMCG business in India. Wipro Consumer Care recorded a revenue of   US$1.16 billion (INR 86.30 billion) in FY’22. Wipro Consumer Care’s business includes personal wash products, toiletries, facial care products, wellness products, home care products, electrical wire devices, Domestic and Commercial Lighting and seating solutions. It has a strong brand presence with significant market share across segments in India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Wipro’s brands Enchanteur and Yardley of London are extremely popular in the Middle East and have significant market share and leadership positions across multiple categories in the GCC countries. Over the years, they have earned a big name for their product quality and fragrances.


Also published on Medium.

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