Zydus Cadila Ltd to setup Sugar Free shops

Kolkata, Feb 04: Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd, owner of the sucralose-based Sugar Free brand, is planning to set up exclusive Sugar Free shops in metros to showcase confectionery using zero-calorie product instead of sugar.

''The first shop would be opened in the city in next fiscal.

Cadila's Sugar Free shops would showcase products ranging from chocolates, icecream to biscuits and cakes along with its ready-to-drink product Sugar Free D'lite,'' Mr Deo said.

Mr Deo said the company is joining hands with big brands in the FMCG sector to manufacture their products using Sugar Free.

Expecting the market to grow by 22 per cent next year, Cadila would launch a campaign to position Sugar Free as an alternative to sugar in day to day cooking. Similarly Neutralite would be campaigned as an alternative to butter which is cholestral free.

"The growing health concern has opened up a vast market in India for the sweeteners. We have captured only three per cent of the entire market," he said.

The company has targetted a turnover of Rs 123 crore in the end of the financial year 2006-07, Mr Deo said.

Mr Deo also said that the company is planning to expand the marketing network of Neutralite in North East, Bengal and Bihar market.

''We want to esatablish the Neutralite brand as an alternative to butter, which is cholestral-free. We have also launched Natura and Sugar Free which are market leaders in this segment,'' he mentioned.

The market share of Sugar Free and Natura is currently 75 per cent and we will achieve 80 per cent by the end of this fiscal. The turnover of the Cadila Consumer Division in the first nine months was Rs 91 crore.

UNI