Tata Consumer Products to Acquire Two Big Brands – Organic India and Capital Foods, Owner of 'Ching’s Secret' and 'Smith & Jones'

One of the companies of Tata Group, Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL), has announced that it has signed definitive agreements to acquire two big brands under FMCG category — Capital Foods and Organic India.

For Capital Foods, TCPL has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% equity shares of the company, which owns brands like ‘Ching’s Secret’ and ‘Smith & Jones’.

TCPL will acquire Capital Foods in a phased manner. 75% of the equity shareholding will be acquired upfront and the balance 25% shareholding will be acquired within the next 3 years.

For Organic India, which is a FabIndia-owned brand, TCPL will acquire up to 100% of the issued equity share capital of the company that is known for its organic herbal and Ayurvedic health products. The acquisition of Organic India will create a Health & Wellness platform for Tata Consumer Products.

Launched in 1995 by Ajay Gupta, Capital Foods has strong umbrella platform brands with a portfolio of unique products for in-home consumption in fast growing categories. Capital Foods' Ching’s Secret is a market leader in Desi Chinese across its product categories - Chutneys, Blended Masalas, Sauces and Soups. Smith & Jones is a fast-growing brand catering to in-home cooking of Italian and other western cuisines. Overall, Capital Foods has #1 or #2 positions in five large categories.

The overall size of the categories in which Capital Foods operates in is estimated at ₹ crores. Structural growth drivers for the category include continued growth in income levels, evolving consumer preferences leading to increased salience of global cuisines in in-home cooking and increasing need for convenience.

The acquisition of Capital Foods will enable Tata Consumer Products to expand its product portfolio and further strengthen its pantry platform. There are significant synergy benefits with the existing businesses of Tata Consumer Products in areas spanning distribution, logistics, exports and overheads.

Ajay Gupta, Founder of Capital Foods said, “To be associated with the iconic Tata Group is a dream come true for me. Just the name, ‘Tata’, instils a sense of trust and pride in every Indian. Like Capital Foods, Tata is a home-grown brand that is globally recognised. Tata Consumer Products is a multi-conglomerate that spans the globe with quality food ingredients and products. In 28 years, from 3 bottles of sauces, to an entire ‘Desi Chinese’ cuisine block, Ching’s Secret has become a brand to be reckoned with. Smith & Jones covers another food block with tremendous potential. Together, Tata and Capital Foods can create a multi-national culinary brand that includes multiple food categories. The journey ahead is going to be a giant leap for us, full of endless possibilities and definitely exhilarating!

Kotak Investment Banking and Khaitan & Co have been TCPL’s exclusive financial and legal advisors on Capital Foods' acquisition transaction, respectively.

About Organic India, it is a 25+ years established brand with a geographical footprint covering over 48 countries, substantially from India and the USA. Its product portfolio spans premium and high growth categories focused on sustainable living - Herbal Supplements, Tea & Infusions and Organic Packaged Foods.

Founded in 1997 by couple Bharat Mitra and Bhavani Lev, Organic India has strong, long standing relationships with 12,000+ farmers and unparalleled end to end organic certifications across the supply chain. It pioneered commercial cultivation of tulsi and introduced high value medicinal crops for farming in India. It has a portfolio of over 100 products in the Health & Wellness space.

The Total Addressable Market for the categories that Organic India at present is ₹ 7,000 crores in India and ₹ 75,000 crores in international markets where Tata Consumer has a strong presence. This acquisition will provide significant synergy benefits in distribution, logistics and overheads apart from driving portfolio premiumization and unlocking additional channels and new markets. Structural growth drivers for this portfolio include increasing demand for Health & Wellness products, growing consumer awareness around wellness and changing consumer preferences

For Organic India, Kotak Investment Banking, Trilegal and Sidley Austin have been TCPL’s exclusive financial and legal advisors for the transaction respectively.

Mr. William Bissell, Managing Director of Fabindia said, “Tata is India’s most venerated and dynamic brand. For over a hundred and fifty years, it has stood as the visionary exemplar of Indian values: fairness, preservation of civilizational traditions, harmony with the natural world, and social uplift for all. That is why we are immensely excited that they will be guiding Organic India through its next chapter and stewarding the vital mission for which Organic India stands.

We at Fabindia echo Jamsetji Tata’s vision that ‘The community is not just another stakeholder in business but is in fact the very purpose of its existence.’ Organic India works with a community of tens of thousands of farmers who work only with socially and ecologically sustainable methods. We are confident that Organic India will continue to thrive with the Tatas’ leadership.”

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