Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) is considering buying a majority stake in Baidyanath Group-owned Naturedge Beverages’ premium fruit drink brand Shunya, an Economic Times report said citing executives aware of the development.
Shunya provides a variety of zero-sugar functional beverages made with herbs, available in flavours like ‘zesty apple’ and ‘zesty orange’.
The report further stated that financial details including the stake size and valuation could not be ascertained at this stage.
Reliance’s acquisition drive
The acquisition is expected to propel Reliance into the fast-growing healthy drinks and zero-sugar beverage category. The segment is witnessing surging demand in urban India as health-conscious consumers shift preferences from traditional sugary sodas to wellness-focused options.
If finalised, the prospective deal would be the fourth beverage acquisition by Reliance after Campa, Sosyo and RasKik. The firm’s acquisition spree is being looked at by industry experts as RIL’s strategy to build a diversified beverage portfolio to take on global rivals like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Reliance has been acquiring companies and brands across consumer product categories including drinks, confectionery, and chocolates, aiming to dominate the FMCG landscape.
RIL made several acquisitions in the past three years to boost the product offerings of its subsidiaries—Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd and Reliance Retail Ltd, among others. According to reports, RIL has put in $566 million+ in media and education, $194 million+ in retail, $1.2 billion+ in telecom and internet firms, $100 million+ in digital firms, and $391 million+ in the chemicals and energy space.