Almost two decades back, the FMCG sector witnessed the entry of an all-new category that instantly became a rage with the kids, taking many by surprise. Soon it became the favourite drink for both kids as well as adults. Children found it yummy and their moms too were happy as it was easy to prepare. Yes, you guessed it right. We are talking about the Rs 220-crore soft drink concentrate market and the product is none other than Rasna that introduced the concept of dual format in the country where one just need to mix fruit flavoured concentrate in plain water to get a fruit flavoured drink.

With a brand name that for long has been a generic name when it comes to quality sunglasses, Rayban started off with a clear advantage. But, the steep price along with the easy availability of cheap knockoffs and fast-changing fashion trends have created a challenging scenario for this international brand. Rayban Sun Optics India managing director Harsh Chopra talks about the challenges his brand is facing in the domestic marktetplace and the plans for the future.

Thanks to an aggressive growth logged in by its snacks division Frito Lay, PepsiCo has been able to drastically reduce its losses to a double-digit figure at Rs 87.5 crore in March 2005, from the Rs 124.7-crore loss it registered the previous year. Notably, PepsiCo hasn’t incurred cash loss during the period. Buoyed by these, the company has set its focus on both growth and profitability, mostly driven by an added thrust on premium products such as water, diet drink, energy drink and fruit juices. Assistant Editor KJ Bennychan caught up with executive vice-president, flavours, Pratik Pota.

Envision a situation wherein you've a great product and the market is ready to lap it up, but you don’t have the proper wherewithal to send it to the market in time, at the right time. Such situations are a throwback of a not-so-distant past when you had to wait for months on end to take possession of your much-desired car or bike, refrigerator or an even Aircon! Manufacturers, marketers and retailers of all hues face such scenarios when they don't have an efficient system in place to manage their inventory movement-be it from plants to godowns and thence to dealers and distributors and stockists and finally to retailers, or in the organised retailing space from manufacturers to Big Bazaars and Spencer's and Subhikshas and the like on the one hand and between the stores on the other.

They’ve come, conquered and still rule the roost. However, despite their dominance, they have paved way for others to take charge and occupy the front seat. To put it succinctly, this is what is happening in the Rs 35,000-crore organised retail sector in the country today. The first phase was started in 1991. Now, it seems the first phase is well over and it is time to take a giant leap ahead as big shots like Mukesh Ambani of Reliance and Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Enterprises are gearing up to make a foray into retailing. So, what’s next? From a meagre three percent of the Rs 9.9-lakh crore retailing sector, how much more will the organised retail notch up? Or what’s the future of modern retail?

The aircon industry is gathering pace rapidly. The Rs 3,400-crore industry is witnessing a 180-degree turnaround, if not a 360-degree one—a cool shift from the days of long waiting periods as the market has 200-odd models to offer. Many recent developments make the market a goldmine for these marketers. Thanks to the increasing income levels of the middle class, the market has thrown up many new possibilities. Many new sectors have also been identified which were until recently not considered. AC marketers today can move out of leading urban territories and explore B and C towns.

Unless the outdoor media hires professionals and engage in transparency, this sector, which is seeing a lot of action, will continue to remain dogged