American diet foods major Atkins plans India foray

Leading American diet food-maker Atkins will soon be hawking its weight-management products in the domestic market, a top company official said.

"Within the next three to six months you will see Atkins products here. We are trying to find the right distributor that can hawk our products and run our educational training system to begin with. Later on, we may look at opening Atkins Clinics," Atkins Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and Asia, Greg Boucher told PTI in Mumbai.

The $2.4-billion Denver-based Atkins Nutritionals Inc is a diet/healthy foods major specialises mostly in sugar-free products with its most popular brands are Advantage, Day Break, and Endulge. Atkins markets its wares in 16 countries.

Boucher also said the company would initially investing about Rs2.4 crore in the country.

On his distribution plan, he said the products will be sold at hypermarkets, pharmacies, fitness clubs etc.

"We are looking at pricing now and meeting regulatory compliances. We want to ensure that our products are over priced," he said.

On the rationale for entering India, he said, "We have been looking at the market for about five years and now we are ready. Awareness about obesity and overweight issues is increasing here."

Diet foods is a nascent market in the country and there are only a few in the market like Horlics' snack bars like Nature Valley, Rite Bite, Nutri Bar etc.

Citing a recent Aventis study that surveyed Delhi, Boucher said, "about 21 per cent of Delhiites suffer from diabetes and hypertension. Of the diabetic population that was surveyed, two out of three had uncontrolled diabetes. This study was one of the reasons that made us look at Indian markets."

He also pointed out that according to a World Health Organisation study, around 60 per cent of the world's cardiac patients will be from India.

Atkins is also planning to launch books and recipes suitable for this market. It will also introduce snack bars, chocolates, bread and bake mixes, high fibre and high protein pastas, and readymade milk shakes and protein shakes.

When asked if Atkins will rope in a celebrity to endorse the products, he said, "we are not running after celebrities, though we have had a few brand ambassadors in the West. However, we have spoken to a few here in this regard, but we haven't made up our mind yet. But our focus is not just the elite."