Puffing Profits

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: ending September 30, 2007, and turnover growth of 14.2% at Rs 3,273 crore. How much did ITC's tobacco division contribute to the company’s overall business? “In the year ended March 31, 2007, cigarettes constituted 47.7% of the net turnover,” informs Wanchoo.

Meanwhile, ITC is chalking out an ambitious growth plan for all its diversified business interests. According to Y C Deveshwar, chairman of ITC Ltd, “As a group, we are going to invest Rs 20,000 crore in different businesses over the next five years.”

In a bid to consolidate its offerings in cigarettes, ITC is planning to create power brands in the highly competitive sector, inform industry sources. Currently, ITC's product portfolio includes 15 brands: Insignia, India Kings, Classic, Gold Flake, Silk Cut, Navy Cut, Scissors, Capstan, Berkeley, Bristol and Flake. According to Wanchoo, the company is following a portfolio approach to cater to all relevant consumer segments, be they geographical or price segments. “Our current portfolio of 15 brands is constantly reviewed for optimum consumer satisfaction,” he says.

It was in 2004 that the company disassociated its trademark ‘Wills’ from its cigarette portfolio and changed brand name ‘Wills’ to its old name Navy Cut. But now ITC's trademark ‘Wills’ is predominantly present in diverse categories such as personal care products and fashion retailing sector. What are ITC's long term plans for brand name ‘Wills’? Will ITC make ‘Wills’ its flagship brand across diverse categories? According to Wanchoo, the company adopts brand names that are relevant and best suited for the success of the individual products. “Thus we have Di Wills and Superia for shampoos and soaps, Spriha and Mangaldeep for agarbattis, John Players, Springwood and Wills Lifestyle for garments and Classmate for notebooks and Kitchens of India and Aashirvaad for ready-to-eat products,” he explains.