MTR Foods On Capacity

Expansion

As a 90-year-old popular brand of Indian spices, mixes, ready-to-eat foods

and other culinary products for all occasions, the city-based Rs.700-crore
MTR is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the $4-billion Orkla conglomerate in
Norway.

After acquiring the privately-held company from Maiyas of the famous Mavalli
Tiffin Rooms (MTR) in 2007 for an estimated $80 million (Rs.384 crore), the
Norwegian food major cumulatively invested Rs.230 crore to treble production
capacity from 15,000 tonnes and increase the number of food products to 140
from 90.

Blending authentic Indian flavours in easy-to-use packaged format, the

company's diversified portfolio includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks
and desserts for all.

"Our culinary secrets are protected and handed over generations as authentic
recipes from their region of origin and packaged in convenient formats to
retain taste and quality," MTR Foods member, unveiling the company's new
brand identity, with a new contemporary logo and trendy packaging, signifying
the transition.

As a part of its growth strategy, the company has forayed into e-commerce
with its own online platform for selling all its products and delivering them at
home through partners across the country.

"Over the years, consumers have evolved in terms of preferences and

consumption patterns. Though Indian food is still the favorite, its cooking is
perceived to be cumbersome and time-consuming. Our brand of easy-to-
make, nutritious and authentic tasting products make them more accessible,"
MTR Foods member.

With 50 percent market share in ready-to-eat segment and 40-45 percent

market share in spices and mixes across Karnataka, the company has
doubled its market share in the neighboring southern states of Andhra
Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

"We are expanding our presence beyond south India to north, west and east
to be a pan-India brand by 2020, with more products to serve regional
consumers and ramp up our turnover to Rs,2,000 crore over the next four
years," By MTR Foods members.

Courtesy:IndiaTimes