Duncans Tea Ltd is evaluating the option to start discussions with Indian Oil corporation in order to increase its penetration into the rural market. The company had earlier tied up with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL).
”We are planning to start discussions with IOC,” Duncans Tea Ltd, chief operating officer, MC Appaiah told FE.
As part of its agreement with both BPCL and HPCL, DTL tea packets will be available with the LPG suppliers when they deliver LPG cylinders at every doorstep. The Kolkata-based company’s agreement with IOC will also be on the similar lines.
”Our tie-up with IOC will help us tap the rural market as it has a much wider network. We tied-up with organisations like HPCL and BPCL to reach out to the consumers at their doorsteps,” Appaiah said, adding that the agreement will also indirectly help the company to grow by further 2 to 3%.
Duncans Tea already has 1,200 distributors across the country and has added 600 more through its tie-up with both HPCL and BPCL.
”At present we can’t give a fixed number but through an agreement with IOC we aim to have distributors in hundreds,” Appaiah said. DTL has adopted a host of innovative marketing and distribution tie-ups, enabling it to reach out to more consumers across the country.
Besides adopting unconventional marketing strategies , Duncans Tea Ltd also has a distribution tie up with IRCTC to serve Double Diamond tea bags to all passengers traveling on select routes.