Onjus has already marked its presence in 300 towns across the country, having garnered a 34 per cent market share of the tetra-pack drinks segment. Life, says Enkay Texofoods Industries President Sunil Deshpande, will go national within a week and the company has targeted penetration level of 700 towns for the drink by March 1999.

This, according to Deshpande, is mainly because a mango drink, which is considered a highly-consumed drink in the country, will have a greater market penetration compared to any other fruit drink. "While there is no doubt that Onjus volumes picked up fast, we expect volumes of Life to cross those of Onjus at an even faster pace," feels Deshpande. Onjus, which was launched in April last year, doubled its market share to 34per cent in Mumbai and Pune from 17 per cent in June 1997.

After having launched Life in 250ml packs, which has already witnessed a sales offtake of four million packs since its launch in August this year, the company has rolled out the drink in convenient one-litre packs as well. The one-litre pack is a test market launch at select retail outlets. "Mango drinks are generally sold and consumed as on-premise drinks. We are trying to project a take-home product with the one-litre pack introduction," said Deshpande.

The company is targeting a sales ratio of 3:1 for Life and Onjus. At present, Onjus being the only drink in Enkay Texofoods' stable which has been in the market place for more than a year now, contributes maximum to its turnover. Onjus has already achieved a turnover of around Rs 70 crore. With Life expected to garner volumes on the back of a wider distribution network and deeper penetration by March, Deshpande said that Onjus will piggyback on Life to gain a better reach.

The success rate of amango drink is generally higher as compared to any other drink, or for that matter an orange drink, feel industry analysts. Life is priced at Rs 10 for a 250ml pack, as against the maximum retail price of Onjus at Rs 12 for the same size.