Ruchi, ITC amongst top consumer firms

Edible oil manufacturer Ruchi Soya and FMCG giant ITC are the only two Indian companies that figure in the top 250 consumer products companies in the world, according to the Deloitte report titled Global Powers of the Consumer Products Industry 2013.

Ruchi Soya, which made net sales of $6272 million in the financial year (FY) of 2011, is ranked 121 in the list. ITC, whose food, drinks and tobacco businesses made net sales of $5,461 million in FY 2011, slipped seven positions to 150 in this year's report. The two companies are also included in the list of the 50 fastest growing companies in the world.

Korean electronics maker Samsung topped the global list, followed by Apple, Panasonic, Nestle and Proctor & Gamble in that order.

54.8% of the companies on the list are from the food, drinks and tobacco sector, followed by personal and household groups (10.4%) and electronics goods (9.2%). The sales of the world's 250 largest consumer products companies grew by 7% on year-on-year basis, with the aggregate sales exceeding $3.12 trillion, up from $2.82 trillion in fiscal year 2010.

The report points out that the global economy was driven by consumer product sector, which is fuelled by online sales. "The impact of this digital growth on consumer and shopper behavior cannot be underestimated. It affects the way consumer interact with brands, how they research products and purchase (them)," says the report. The report findings suggest that roughly 58% of consumers who own a smartphone use it for store related shopping.

Just 2/250:Ruchi Soya,ITC fastest homegrowns

Only two home-grown Indian companies — Ruchi Soya & ITC — have made it to the top 250 consumer companies in the world, says a survey by Deloitte titled ‘Global Powers of the Consumer Products Industry 2013’.

While Ruchi Soya has been ranked at 121, ITC stands at 150. For Ruchi Soya that manufactures edible oil and soybean products, it’s an improvement of 54 positions, Last year, the company stood at 175. On the other hand, cigarette and consumer goods maker, ITC has slipped by seven position in this year’s ranking.

If we look at the list of 50 fastest growing company in the world, Ruchi Soya has been ranked at 13, followed by ITC at 39.

While Ruchi Soya has recorded a 66% growth in sales in 2011-12, ITC’s net sales jumped 17.5% in the same period.

This is based on a survey by Deloitte on the data available till June 2012. For a company to make it to the list of top 250 consumer product companies, it has to have a minimum sale of Rs16,600 crore and has to register at least a 7% growth in sales on a yearly basis.

The report points out that as sales in the other established markets are taking a beating, companies from the emerging markets have started taking the lead in the fastest growing company in the world and going forward, this trend is likely to continue.

Dinesh Shahra, managing director of Ruchi Soya, said, “Improved branded sales, better sales realisation of oilseed extraction, effective control on the costs and favourable business sentiment helped us to get better performance in the past one year. We are making our efforts to have good performance on a sustained basis in the times to come.”

An ITC spokesperson said: “ITC’s aspiration to be the No. 1 in the FMCG sector in its new consumer goods businesses is supported by its relentless effort to build world-class brands that create, capture and retain value in India. These brands have earned significant consumer franchise and in addition, we are looking at enhancing the competitiveness of the entire value chain.”