Good-old Dhara to woo rural customers

Dhara, the leading cooking oil brand for over two decades, is all set to woo the rural customers, who are now increasingly buying packaged products, Himani Chandna Gurtoo reports.

Dhara, the leading cooking oil brand for over two decades, is all set to woo the rural customers, who are now increasingly buying packaged products.

HT Image

Dhara, distributed by Mother Dairy --wholly owned subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)-- is growing by over 28% in rural areas against 24% growth in urban India, year-on-year.

“Amid the massive shift towards the demand for packed oil in rural areas, we see the growth rate spiralling further to 35% by the next two years,” said Dinesh Agrawal, COO, Dhara, Mother Dairy.

However, according to a Rabo India report, the domestic edible oil market — estimated at $15 billion (Rs 82, 500 crore) in 2010 — is set to grow at 5-6% in the next five years.

Moreover, to cater the requirement of the new customers in the remote areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka and other states, the company has launched 18 stock keeping units.

“We are tying up with the stockists in urban areas who will service the sub-stockists in rural areas.”