In a country which is also known as the diabetes capital of the world, Adani Wilmar Limited has launched a diabetes care oil, perhaps the very first in the space. A significant addition to their wide range of food products, the company is betting on Fortune Vivo to make a significant difference in the life of the health-conscious Indian consumer. Atul Chaturvedi, CEO, Adani Wilmar Limited tells us why Fortune Vivo should be the first choice for any diabetic
Q] What is the insight behind launching Fortune Vivo, an oil which helps keep diabetes in control?
We have been looking at providing a healthy oil to the Indian masses, for some time now. In fact, the success of our brand Rice Bran oil which we introduced a couple of years ago gave us the right kind of confidence to go ahead with this decision. The Rice Bran oil became a whopping success and interestingly it managed to create a category for itself. Years later, we thought a similar space is available in the sector for diabetes care because India is the diabetes capital of the world. Almost 6.2 crore people in India suffer from diabetes today. Thus, we felt it was time to tap this space and so we started researching on providing the right oil to deal with this problem. Our research and clinical trials have actually proven that the right blend of Rice Bran oil and Sesame oil can be the answer for at least controlling diabetes if not reducing it.
Q] What kind of marketing activities and advertising is the Adani Group planning in order to touch the right chord with the consumer for this product?
The ad campaign definitely is going to be very big. This is because we need it to fulfill the most important task that we have ahead of us, i.e., to educate the Indian consumers about the advantages of this oil. And for that we will be using all kinds of media channels, like Print, Television and Digital. We have to be present across the country and within the reach of the Indian consumer who will want to try it out. That is indeed going to be a herculean task and we will not shy away from investing money. We will focus all our energies on this product because we feel we have a winner here and it will be a game-changer.
Q] And how soon will the ad campaign see the light of day?
The idea was to roll out the ad campaign once the distribution is complete, because there is no point in starting the campaign when the product is still not available on the shelf. We had estimated approximately 20 days from the day of the launch for the products to be made available on the shelves across the country. We are slowly starting with Radio, Print and will then move on to TV advertising.
Q] The oil consumption pattern varies from State to State in India, like West Bengal consumes a lot of mustard oil while Kerala consumes coconut oil. How difficult is it to wean people away from their habits?
This used to be a big problem earlier, we had huge regional skews in the past, but with Indian dependence on imports growing to almost 70%, the regional skews are breaking down. Also, we find the Indian population moving from one corner of the country to another, and with that a lot of habits are changing – be it in South, West or North. So, we don’t see too much of a problem as far as regional skews are concerned. Moreover, we feel that we have a winner in the Fortune Vivo oil which should be made available across the country because health is something the entire nation should be bothered about.
Q] Who will be the target audience for the oil, is it the upper middle class sector?
It will essentially be targeted at people who are in the affluent sector and also those who are bothered about their health. I am sure the health consciousness among Indians is improving big time.
Q] How will this product be priced, considering that you are targeting the affluent class?
We have tried to keep the price affordable and not exorbitant. It is a healthy alternative targeted at the health conscious people. So everyone must try it out.
Q] People are used to limiting the addition of sugar for diabetic patients in beverages, but cooking oil can’t be changed for each member of the household. How will you make Fortune Vivo appealing to even nondiabetics?
This oil is going to be helpful not only for diabetics, but the entire family. It will be a perfect solution for health conscious people as it controls glucose level in the body. This oil will actually help in prevention of diabetes. So in every household, this oil can be used to cook food for the entire family.
Q] There are other brands in the market in the ‘healthy oil’ segment, how do you think you will fare in the overall category?
We have a winner with us, and we will ensure that we fight it out in the marketplace. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to how the Indian consumer reacts. But that apart, we believe the Indian consumer is getting more and more health conscious, more and more worried about diabetes, and I am sure we will definitely have the first mover advantage here.
Q] What challenges do you face in the market as a whole?
I would like to answer this question in the Vivo context. The challenge would basically lie in educating the Indian consumer about the benefits of this oil, which is largely going to be taken care of by the communication as we go forward. This is where we feel our biggest challenge is going to be.
Q] What is the USP of the brand?
‘Fortune’ is a trusted name. And the Indian housewife has a lot of faith in us. It is because of this trust that we are constantly improving ourselves. We keep pushing ourselves to innovate. One such innovation is the Vivo diabetes care oil. Additionally we as a brand are present pan India, and have a huge distribution network. We believe in coming up with serious products and have been delivering on that premise for several years.
Q] You have a wide variety of products under the Adani umbrella; which according to you is the biggest brand in your portfolio?
As of today, we are looking at ‘Vivo’ as a game changer. The other product which we feel is going to be a game-changer is ‘Basmati Rice’ and we certainly would not lose sight of products like ‘Sunflower Oil’ and ‘Soya Oil’ which are our staple. So I am sure we have exciting times ahead.
ABOUT THE BRAND
The Adani Group was founded in 1988 and is one of India’s leading business houses with revenue of over $10 billion. Adani Wilmar Ltd. (AWL), a leading manufacturer and distributor of cooking oils, is a joint venture between Adani Group and Singapore based Wilmar International Ltd. Adani Wilmar Limited is the sixth largest food company in India with the flagship brand Fortune cooking oils. Its product range includes edible oil, basmati rice, pulses, soya chunks and besan.
PROFILE
Atul Chaturvedi is the CEO of the Agro business of the Adani Group as well as CEO of joint venture Adani Wilmar Ltd. He is a veteran in the Vegetable Oil, Oil seeds and Agro business. He has more than three decades of varied general and strategic management experience in the field of manufacturing and trading. He has been associated with the Adani Group since 1998 and has played a key role in the development of the Agro business of the Group.
MARKETING TIP
You should be consistent, i.e. you must deliver to your consumers the product you are promising and communicating through your ads.
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