?Maharashtra suggests deforesting 20 acres of forest land for Patanjali's food park set up

Patanjali Yogpeeth’s general secretary Acharya Balkrishna has planned to enlist extra 3,000 herbal plants in the Indian medical system. According to Patanjali Yogpeeth presently only 1,100 herbs are used in the traditional Ayurveda system for curing various ailments.

Providing a comparison of China and India, Balkrishna claimed that China has listed 13,500 in their medicine system and said, “It is rather sad that we teach Ayurveda and know the traditional India science but we don’t know the fact only 1,100 plants are used in our medical system. No matter how much time it will take but we will list 3,000 herbs in Indian system with complete research and verification.”

Acharya Balkrishna’s birthday was celebrated in Haridwar as herbal day (Jadi-Buti Diwas). The birthday bash was special as Acharya planted sapling to mark the event and translation of his book on Yoga in various Indian languages were released. Now the book on Yoga by Acharya is available in Garhwali, Kumoani, Gujarati, Dogri, Sanskrit, Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Marathi and Punjabi.

Now Balkrishna’s ‘Vichar Kranti’ is also available in Sanskrit, Bhojpuri, Dogri, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. Many of the books written by Balkrishna have been translated in different foreign languages. Speaking on the occasion, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev said, “Acharya Balkrishna has given return gift to the society by presenting valuable books in different languages.”

Having already taken the FMCG market by storm with his ‘Swadeshi’ products, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is now planning to foray into a new retail category.

His company, Patanjali Ayurved is all set to make an entry into the Khadi and frozen vegetables markets. Patanjali plans to launch 100 exclusive retail outlets to sell its ‘swadeshi’ line of branded khadi clothes by Diwali this year. Besides this, it also plans to sell the brand through 15,000 KVIC stores.

In January 2018, Ramdev had announced to the media that his company – which is already in the business of cosmetic and food products – will launch a textile portfolio around Diwali, 2018, adding that it would feature around 3,000 products ranging from kidswear to yogawear and sportswear, along with a ‘swadeshi’ line of clothing plus accessories and footwear.

Aiming to expand its footprint in the country’s FMCG sector, Baba Ramdev-promoted Patanjali launched its e-commerce platform under the tagline ‘Haridwar to har dwar’ (Haridwar to every door step online).

The company has also announced its partnership with leading e-retailers and aggregators to authorise online sales of its products which include Paytm Mall, BigBasket, Flipkart, Amazon India, Grofers, Amazon India, netmeds, 1mg and Shopclues, among others.

Launching the e-commerce platform www.patanjaliayurved.net, Ramdev added that online sales have yielded good dividend that helped the company’s sales cross the Rs 10 crore-mark in December 2017.

In May, Patanjali Ayurved Limited was adjudged India’s most trusted FMCG brand in the TRA’s Brand Trust Report 2018.

Baba Ramdev had taken to his Twitter handle to make the announcement writing: “Patanjali is India’s number #1 trusted FMCG Brand accordingly to ‘The Brand Trust Report’, India Study 2018 #BTR2018 – @TRA_Research.”

In order to finalise a buyer for the edible oils company, the lenders of Ruchi Soya are resorting to the Swiss challenge method. This is the first time that banks are using this method to find a resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). There are just two players left in the fray. Edible oils player Adani Wilmar is pitted against Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali in a contest which may see Godrej Agrovet joining forces with the latter.

Swiss challenge, a method that has been used in India by various states to award roads and housing projects, could become the final round to decide the winning bidder for Ruchi Soya.

Under the auction process, both candidates will submit their detailed resolution plan. As per the process finalised, Adani Wilmar will be given the first opportunity to raise its bid which will be followed by an option to Patanjali to revise its offer. Adani Wilmar will then be given the second opportunity to up its bid following which Patanjali will get the final chance to beat Adani Wilmar’s bid, sources said.

Banks last year dragged Ruchi Soya to the bankruptcy court to recover dues of around Rs. 12,000 crore.

Adani Wilmar and Patanjali have submitted their bids to the committee of creditors (CoC) in a meeting held on May 30 with Patanjali holding an edge with its bid of Rs. 4,150 crore plus a commitment to infuse about Rs. 1,800 crore of capital. Adani Wilmar has offered Rs. 3,250 crore.

The CoC in consultation with independent evaluator BDO, then decided to adopt the Swiss challenge to maximise the value for the asset, the sources said.

“Patanjali is expected to maintain its aggressive approach in the challenge and will have the advantage of having the last go. It’s evident from the fact that Baba Ramdev himself made the final presentation before the insolvency professionals,” said one of the sources.

An executive committee comprising representatives from IDBI Bank, State Bank of India, Standard Chartered and Corporation Bank are expected to conduct the Swiss challenge and conclude the process by mid-June, sources said. They expect the final bid to be around Rs. 5,200-5,300 crore.

While Patanjali’s appetite for growth and desire to be a market leader in edible oils have led it to bid for the company, Adani Wilmar’s position is significantly different. Adani Wilmar already has a sizeable market share in India and the addition of Ruchi Soya’s market share will put it in a position of holding 65% of the market that may raise a red flag for the Competition Commission, whose approval is mandatory for the acquisition to be completed.

Ruchi Soya is the largest edible oil seed extraction and refining company in India, with 3.72 million tonnes of oilseed extraction capacity across 10 locations and 3.30 MT refining capacity in 13 locations. It also has a 3.05 MT soya meal extraction capacity. The company is the largest player in the cooking oil and soya foods category in the country with iconic brands like Nutrela, Mahakosh, Sunrich, Ruchi Star and Ruchi Gold.

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved has denied the Rs 9,000 crore acquisition offer for debt-ridden edible oils maker Ruchi Soya Industries.

Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala said, “Yes, Patanjali is interested in acquiring Ruchi Soya since we want to make use of their idle installed capacity but we have definitely not placed a bid for Rs 9,000 crore. After examining the company’s vitals and balance sheet, the value of the deal should be at most between Rs 1,800-2,000 crore.”

Patanjali, along with about 20 companies including Emami, Godrej Agrovet, ITC, Aion Capital Partners and global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is learnt to have bid to acquire Ruchi Soya Industries through the ongoing insolvency process under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Ruchi Soya’s brand portfolio includes Nutrela, Mahakosh, Sunrich, Ruchi Gold and Ruchi Star. Patanjali Ayurved’s spokesperson said the acquisition was synergistic with the company since it is “swadeshi. Vital resources should be fully utilised and channelised for the benefit of consumers and farmers.”

Ruchi Soya’s debt stood at about Rs 12,000 crore as of December 31, 2017, and lenders dragged the company to the NCLT last year. The company has over Rs 4,000 crore of bad debts written off and a net worth deficit of Rs 498 crore.

Last year, the company had announced 51% stake sale to private equity firm Devonshire Capital for Rs 4,000 crore, but the deal fell through after NCLT admitted the bankruptcy case. The shortlisting of bids is expected next fortnight. Apart from being the country’s biggest edible oilseed extraction and refining company, Ruchi Soya is also the largest player in the cooking oil and soya foods category. It has 24 plants for crushing, milling, refining, and packaging.

JHS Svendgaard Laboratories, a manufacturer of oral care products has combined with Patanjali Ayurved to set up exclusive Patanjali stores at airports across the country.

“There is a captive audience at airports, which Patanjali will tap into through these stores,” JHS Svendgaard Managing Director Nikhil Nanda said.

Nanda further explaining the plans said the company wants to set up 100 stores over the next two years depending on availability at airports. The first such store was opened at New Delhi’s T2 terminal at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

“The intent of setting up airport stores is to provide access to international travellers, since Patanjali products are being sought across world markets,” said SK Tijarawala, spokesperson for Patanjali. He added that the company is open to entering into multiple retail partnerships with other firms as well.

The airport shops are being set up by JHS Svendgaard Retail Ventures, an arm of New Delhi-based JHS Svendgaard.

Patanjali which has registered revenue growth over 20 times to Rs 10,561 crore in FY17 from Rs 453 crore in FY12, sells an extensive range of daily-use products including shampoo, toothpaste, biscuits, noodles and packaged water.

JHS Svendgaard makes a range of toothpastes for Patanjali, Dabur and direct-selling firm Amway. It also manufactures oral care products for Elder Health Care and JL Morisons. It plans to expand beyond its core business to other personal care products and cosmetics, Nanda said.

Without divulging into the deal details Nanda said, “We are in acquisition talks with two companies which make products other than oral care. That will give us a market beyond oral care as well as a national footprint.”

JHS Svendgaard's private label toothpaste brand Aquawhite has acquired licenses for children’s characters including Pokemon and Jungle Book to extend Aquawhite to premium toothbrushes.

Home-grown FMCG major, Patanjali Ayurved is looking to double its share in the country's food processing market to 20 per cent in the current fiscal.

The yoga guru Ramdev-led firm, which has plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore on expansion of its various verticals, would be putting aside a substantial portion of funds towards opening of new units and ramping up capacity of the existing units.

Acharya Balkrishna, Managing Director, Patanjali Ayurved, said, "The food processing industry is worth around Rs 85,000 crore and Patanjali has a share of around 10 per cent. We would like to double our contribution to 20 per cent this fiscal. In the coming years, we would try to maximum Patanjali's contribution in the food processing industry."

According to Balkrishna, the food processing industry would not only provide good price to farmers but also help in providing quality food products in India.

He said, "Globally, around 90 per cent food is processed. In a country like China around 40 per cent food is processed but in India only 6 per cent of food and vegetables are processed."

He further said the processed food would also help in combating the food adulteration practice which has become quite rampant in the country.

"After we double our processing capacity, the total food processed would be increased to 7 per cent from the existing 6 per cent," he added.

The company is presently using grains as wheat, rice, millet and various other varieties along with pulses. Patanjali, which crossed Rs 10,000 crore sales in last fiscal, is now having global ambitions.

While speaking at an event organised by industry body FICCI, Balkrishna said the industry players are taking steps towards making Indian food industry an international brand.

"Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is committed to go global and fight adulteration in the food industry," he said.

Yog guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurveda is covering almost all of India leaving its colorful footprints and inspiring people to quit artificial preservatives and to opt for natural products.

Acharya, Balkrishna, CEO of Patanjali Ayurved is said to have been exploring Nizamabad district in Telengana to look out for possibilities of setting up a turmeric processing plant, on advice of Kalvakuntla Kavitha, MLA.

Kavitha had earlier submitted a request to Baba Ramdev to start a food processing unit in Nizamabad parliamentary constituency.

Balkrishna said, "We have surveyed the surrounding areas of Armoor, Balkonda and Nandipet, we feel the atmosphere in the region is very congenial to start a plant and we are hopeful of a positive decision towards setting up of the food processing unit in the area."

Kavitha said, "The industrial policy of Telangana state (TS-IPASS) is amongst the best in the country and it takes only 15 days for the industries to get approval and Telangana State Government has assured the speedy allotments and approvals for setting up of units."

She added that "establishment of food processing plant in the region will generate employment for large number of people in the region and District Purchase Forum will be of huge advantage to the constituency."