CORPORATE INTRODUCTORY PROJECT

REPORT

ON

BISLERI INTERNATIONAL PVT.LTD

BY

NAME: Debashis Bal

COURSE: MBA

SEMISTAR: First

ROLL NO: 11

SECTION: Innovation

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS STUDIESS

KHB Main Road, R.T.Nagar Post, Bangalore-560 032

2008-2009

CONTAINS…………..

1.COMPANY INTRODUCTION

2.ORIGN

3.KEY PERSON

4.TYPES OF PRODUCT

5.MANUFACTURING PROCESS

6.McKINSY”7S

7.COMPITETERS

8.ADVERTISEMENT STRATEGY

9.CONCLUSION.

BISLERI INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD

Address

Regd. Office :Western Express Highway, Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400 099.Tel.: 022 - 6695 3030 / 6695 3031.

WWW.bisleri.com

Mission- We are in the business to serve the customer. He is the most

important person. He is the only one who pays. He deserves the best quality and presentation at a worth of the price. We must have world class quality, at the lowest production & distribution cost. This will make us an unbeatable leader, and will have satisfied loyal customers.

Vission- Our vision is to be the dominant player in the branded water business

where the second player is less than 20% of our business.

Value- Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Co-operation, Quality, Passion, Openness

& Transparency

Bisleri Today

The Indian consumer today enjoys the sweet and pure taste of Bisleri mineral water. However in an effort to offer something special to our loyal consumers. company has

recently introduced Bisleri Natural Mountain Water - water brought to

you from the foothills of the mountains situated in Himachal Pradesh. This newly launched offering has widened our product range to two variants: Bisleri with added minerals and Bisleri Mountain Water .

Message

Rigorous Research and Development and stringent quality controls have made BISLERI market leaders in the bottled water segment. Bisleri has always been committed to offering every Indian pure and clean drinking water. Hence Bisleri water is put through multiple stages of purification, ozonisation and is hygienically packed for final consumption.

To maintain strict quality controls in every unit, we not only purchase caps from approved vendors, we also manufacture our own bottles, in-house. To be at par with International standards, we have recently procured the latest state-of-the-art machinery which has not only helped us improve packaging quality but has also reduced raw material wastage and doubled production capacity.

You can rest assured that you are drinking safe and pure water when you consume Bisleri. Bisleri is free of impurities and is 100% safe. Enjoy the sweet taste of Purity!

ORIGIN

Mineral Water under the name 'Bisleri' was first introduced in Mumbai in glass bottles in two varieties - bubbly & still in 1965 by Bisleri Ltd., a company of Italian origin. This company was started by Signor Felice Bisleri who first brought the idea of selling bottled water in India.

Parle bought over Bisleri (India) Ltd. In 1969 & started bottling Mineral water in glass bottles under the brand name 'Bisleri'. Later Parle switched over to PVC non-returnable bottles & finally advanced to PET containers.

Since 1995 Mr. Ramesh J. Chauhan has started expanding Bisleri operations substantially and the turn over has multiplied more than 20 times over a period of 10 years and the average growth rate has been around 40% over this period. Presently we have 8 plants & 11 franchisees all over India. We have our presence covering the entire span of India. In our future ventures we look to put up four more plants in 06-07. We command a 60% market share of the organized market. Overwhelming popularity of 'Bisleri' & the fact that we pioneered bottled water in India, has made us synonymous to Mineral water & a household name. When you think of bottled water, you think Bisleri.

Bisleri value the customers & therefore have developed 8 unique pack sizes to suit the need of every individual. Bisleri has present in 250ml cups, 250ml bottles, 500ml, 1L, 1.5L, 2L which are the non-returnable packs & 5L, 20L which are the returnable packs. Till date the Indian consumer has been offered Bisleri water, however in our effort to bring to you something refreshingly new, we have introduced Bisleri Natural Mountain Water - water brought to you from the foothills of the mountains situated in Himachal Pradesh. Hence our product range now comprises of two variants : Bisleri with added minerals & Bisleri Mountain Water.

It is Bisleri commitment to offer every Indian pure & clean drinking water. Bisleri Water is put through multiple stages of purification, ozonised & finally packed for consumption. . Rigorous R&D & stringent quality controls has made us a market leader in the bottled water segment. Strict hygiene conditions are maintained in all plants.

InBisleri endeavour to maintain strict quality controls each unit purchases performs & caps only from approved vendors. Bisleri produce our own bottles in-house. Bisleri recently procured the latest world class state of the art machineries that puts us at par with International standards. This has not only helped us improve packaging quality but has also reduced raw material wastage & doubled production capacity. You can be rest assured that you are drinking safe & pure water when you consume Bisleri. Bisleri is free of impurities & 100% safe. Enjoy the Sweet taste of Purity !

KEY PERSON

RAMESH CHAUHAN

Chairman

BISLERI INTERNATIONAL

Recent Message-“Every bottle water is called Bisleri, and that is

What we need to overcome . If we are able to do ten times of what we are currently doing, then we would be in a satisfactory position.”

HIS RECENT CLAIM

To have 60% of the Ruppess 2000-crore crowed market for bottled water, and his brand, Bisleri, is valued at Rs3000-crore.

NUMBERS OF FACTORIES

Bisleri is committed to meeting the needs of its customers across the country. To effectively service the end consumer Bisleri has been working to continuously establish fresh bottling and distribution capacities.

Over the course of the last one year, capacities have come up at:

Location Effective date

Wadki, Maharashtra 17.08.2007Ahmedabad, Gujarat 13.11.2007Chennai, Tamil Nadu 15.11.2007Andaman & Nicobar 18.12.2007Madurai, Tamil Nadu 05.01.2008Rajampet, Andhra Pradesh 29.01.2008Mysore, Karnataka 29.02.2008Udaipur, Rajasthan 01.03.2008Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 01.04.2008

 

The period from August to December 2008 will see the following additional capacities go on stream:

Location:Nagpur, MaharashtraWada, MaharashtraDahisar, MaharashtraNanded, MaharashtraChennai, Tamil Nadu

Over the next 18 months, from August 2008, further capacities are being targeted in the following states: Punjab Haryana

Uttar Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

Rajasthan

Assam

West Bengal

Gujarat

Karnataka

Andhra Pradesh

Tamil Nadu

Kerala

Puducherri

ABOUT PRODUCT

We at Bisleri value our customers & therefore have developed 8 unique pack sizes to suit the need of every individual. We are present in 250ml cups, 250ml bottles, 500ml, 1L, 1.5L, 2L which are the non-returnable packs & 5L, 20L which are the returnable packs. Till date the Indian consumer has been offered Bisleri water, however in our effort to bring to you something refreshingly new, we have introduced Bisleri Natural Mountain Water - water brought to you from the foothills of the mountains situated in Himachal Pradesh. Hence our product range now comprises of two variants : Bisleri with added

minerals & Bisleri Mountain Water

It is Bisleri commitment to offer every Indian pure & clean drinking water. Bisleri Water is put through multiple stages of purification, ozonised & finally packed for consumption. . Rigorous R&D & stringent quality controls has made us a market leader in the bottled water segment. Strict hygiene conditions are maintained in all plants

Treat your family to pure Bisleri, in economical, tamper-proof 20L packs:

Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a source ofcontamination.

\

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)Stand : Rs. 60/-

Faucet : Rs. 15/-

Treat your family to pure Bisleri, in economical,

tamper-proof 15L packs:

Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a source ofcontamination.

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)Stand : Rs. 60/-Faucet : Rs. 15/-

:

Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a source ofcontamination.

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)Stand : Rs. 60/-Faucet : Rs. 15/-

Treat your family to pure Bisleri, in economical, tamper-proof 1.5L packs:

Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a source ofcontamination.

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)Stand : Rs. 60/-

Faucet : Rs. 15/-

serve with 1l bottle Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The

new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a sourceofcontamination.

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)Stand : Rs. 60/-Faucet : Rs. 15/-

Faucet : Rs. 15/-

Treat your family to pure Bisleri, in economical, tamper-proof 250 ml packs:

Insist on using Bisleri with the 'specially-developed faucet'. The new faucet ensures that Bisleri is dispensed directly from the jar, leaving no chance for contamination. Also avoid using hot and cold machines or any dispensers, since they could be a source ofcontamination.

Max Retail Price : Rs. 70/-Deposit Rs. 150/- (refundable)

Stand : Rs. 60/-Faucet : Rs. 15/-

The water that almost descends from the Gods:

TYPES OF PRODUCTS

HIMALAYA WATER

The Himalayas, the abode of the Gods, where the earth meets the heavens and where in lies nature's untouched bounty. White glaciers, snow-capped mountains and a plethora of exotic herbs and other flora that have therapeutic properties. This is where

you'll find a treasure trove of hidden natural spring water that flows through natural purifying filters, mineral rich rocks and herbs from which it absorbs many healing properties. We bottle this pristine spring water directly at source, at the foothills of the Himalayas.

And now you, our dearest customers, will get every drop of purity, right here, in this bottle.Bisleri Mountain Water is available in 500ml. bottles & 1 litre bottle

Bisleri with Added Minerals:

This product is bottled drinking water at its best. Bisleri with added minerals has a TDS count (total dissolved solids count) of approximately 100. It contains minerals such as magnesium sulphate and potassium bicarbonate which are essential minerals for healthy living. They not only maintain the pH balance of the body but also help in keeping you fit and energetic at all times.

Bisleri with added minerals is also put through multiple stages of purification to ensure the elimination of all forms of bacteria. This makes the water you drink completely safe to consume. Bisleri with added minerals is available in 250ml cups, 250ml bottles, 500ml bottles, 1 litre bottles, 1.5 litre bottles, 2 litre bottles and 5 and 20 litre cans

MOUNTAIN WATER

For over 30 years, Bisleri has been the pioneer in the bottled water industry with its innovations and an eye for perfection. And ever since it was established in 1969, Bisleri has constantly searched for inspiration in nature.

This search has now led us to the new Natural Mountain Water. Inspired by nature, it comes to you from a pristine source situated in the beautiful and scenic mountains of Northern India.

Natural Mountain Water resonates with the energy and vibrancy of health and well-being. It is packed with the goodness of nature's minerals which will refresh your senses and rejuvenate you. We invite you to experience our Natural Mountain Water - The sweet taste of purity.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS 1.PURIFICATION

Every drop of Bisleri water is purified as per international standards to ensure that your Bisleri experience always remains pure and satisfying for longer. The following is a brief understanding of the water treatment process.

CHLORINATION:Kills micro organisms. Remove organic matter.

ARKAL FILTER:Removes suspended matter and turbidity.

CARBON FILTER:Removes residual chlorine & odours

REVERSE OSMOSIS:Removes organic material. Controls total dissolved solids in the water.

ADDITION OF MINERALS: For the purpose of maintaining a balanced mineral content.

MICRON FILTRATION:Additional safety measures to guarantee purity.

OZONATION:Ensures water remains bacteria free for longer life.

PACKING…… The most critical aspect of our bottling process that sets us apart from the rest of the industry is the fact that our bottles remain untouched right through the rinsing, filling, capping and labeling operations.

Filling:Bottles are fed by an air conveyor from the blowing unit directly into the in-feed of the RFC. Our RFC equipment is neck run and it boasts of a monoblock unit, which means that every bottle is held by the neck automatically while being inverted, rinsed and sprayed with ozonated water at 2 Bar pressure. After draining, the bottles are re-inverted and transferred to the filler. At the filler these bottles are straightened up and gradually lifted to the filling valves which open only when a bottle is placed under them.

Filling is then done systematically through gravity.

Capping:After the filling process the bottles are then transferred to the capping section. Here ozonated-water rinsed caps are screwed on the bottle with uniform torque. Since our water is ozonated all product contact parts are of 316L grade stainless steel and the rubber parts are of EPDM.

Labelling:From the capping section the bottles are directly sent to the labeling section. All Bisleri bottles are labeled on a hot melt reel feed BOPP labeling machine. This machine allows each individual bottles to be spaced out and fed to the labeling station where precisely cut labels with a strip of hot melt glue at the leading and trailing edge, get rolled around the bottle. These labels are fed into the machine in a roll form too.

Quality Check:From here on, the bottles go through an online check where qualified personnel inspect each bottle for any leaks or breakages. They are then packed into sturdy cartons which are dispatched to the market by our fleet of trucks.

SOME OTHER TEST WITH BISLERI

Water - the Beverage your Body Needs Most When we were kids in school, we learned that each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. We also learned that it was great fun to fill up our squirt guns with water, at least until the principal caught us. What we really didn't learn, however, was how much water we needed in order to be healthy human beings

LEMON WITH BISLERI

Lemon Sorbet

Peel of 1 lemon diced small

1 cup Bisleri11/2 cup sugar1/2 cup lemon juice

Make a syrup by combining the finely diced lemon peel with the water and the sugar in a non-corrosive pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Combine the syrup with the lemon juice and the Bisleri mineral water. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer directions.

Peach Amaretto Sorbet1/2 cup Bisleri Mineral Water 2 cup sugar2 cups diced very ripe peeled peaches2 teaspoons lemon juice3 tablespoons amarettoIn a medium saucepan, combine Bisleri mineral water, sugar and peaches. Simmer over medium heat until peaches are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.Puree in blender with lemon juice and Amaretto. Place mixture in a metal dish, cover and freeze for 4 or more hours,. Stirringtheouterfrozenmixtureincentereveryhal

McKinsy”s 7s- Description

The Hard S’s

Strategy Actions a company plans in response to or

anticipation of changes in its external

environment.

Structure Basis for specialization and co-ordination

influenced primarily by strategy and by

organization size and diversity.

Systems Formal and informal procedures that support the

strategy and structure. (Systems are more

powerful than they are given credit)

The Soft S’s

Style / Culture The culture of the organization, consisting of two

components:

       Organizational Culture: the dominant values

and beliefs, and norms, which develop over time

and become relatively enduring features of

organizational life.

       Management Style: more a matter of what

managers do than what they say; How do a

company’s managers spend their time? What are

they focusing attention on? Symbolism – the

creation and maintenance (or sometimes

deconstruction) of meaning is a fundamental

responsibility of managers.

Staff The people/human resource management –

processes used to develop managers, socialization

processes, ways of shaping basic values of

management cadre, ways of introducing young

recruits to the company, ways of helping to

manage the careers of employees

Skills The distinctive competences – what the company

does best, ways of expanding or shifting

competences

Shared Values /

Superordinate

Goals

Guiding concepts, fundamental ideas around which

a business is built – must be simple, usually stated

at abstract level, have great meaning inside the

organization even though outsiders may not see or

understand them.

Effective organizations achieve a fit between these seven elements. This criterion is the origin of the other name of the model: Diagnostic Model for Organizational Effectiveness.

If one element changes then this will affect all the others. For example, a change in HR-systems like internal career plans and management training will have an impact on organizational culture (management style) and thus will affect structures, processes, and finally characteristic competences of the organization. 

In change processes, many organizations focus their efforts on the hard S’s, Strategy, Structure and Systems. They care less for the soft S’s, Skills, Staff, Style and Shared Values. Peters and Waterman in “In Search

of Excellence” commented however, that most successful companies work hard at these soft S’s. The soft factors can make or break a successful change process, since new structures and strategies are difficult to build upon inappropriate cultures and values. These problems often come up in the dissatisfying results of spectacular mega-mergers. The lack of success and synergies in such mergers is often based in a clash of completely different cultures, values, and styles, which make it difficult to establish effective common systems and structures.

The 7-S Model is a valuable tool to initiate change processes and to give them direction. A helpful application is to determine the current state of each element and to compare this with the ideal state. Based in this it is possible to develop action plans to achieve the intended state.

DETAILS

Structure-

Bisleriis always willing to try new structures in new situations. The dynamic change in the business requirements is effectively handled by maintaining a flexible organization structure and openness. Delegation of authority and responsibility and freedom to work has enhanced decentralization resulting in quick and effective decision making. The senior management including Executive Directors and Managing Directors interact with employees at different levels at different forums. Employee level or category does not restrict the access to top management. The non-hierarchical reporting and feedback a

re being used effectively and have improved communication amongst all levels.

System-

As part of Bisleri Group, we share a strong set of values that serve as the foundation for our individual and Group performance. Upheld daily by each of us, through our involvement, actions and initiatives, we are working for what really matters — health.

Shared value-Bisleri Pvt .Limited was incorporated in 1965 under the name Bisleri parle Private Limited. Over the years, its name was changed to Bisleri Private Limited, Hoechst India Limited .

Bisleri is one of the world's leading Bottled water company and its 100% subsidiary, Hoechst GmbH, are the major shareholders Bisleri international lPVTLimited and t ogether hold 60 % of its paid-up share capital

Style-

Bisleri Pvt. Limited in India provides bottled water for the assured that you are drinking safe and pure water when you consume Bisleri. . Bisleri is free of impurities and is 100% safe. Enjoy the sweet taste of Purity!

Skill-

We must be open-minded in our solutions and thrive on the uniqueness of our people and teams. Creativity leads to innovation, and innovation leads to the creation of a unique foundation for

leadership.

Staff-

Bisleri group is present throughout the world, and this means They can approach water and their purity in the context of different cultures and socio-economic environments. This proximity is key to

the success of our access to healthcare policy. It enables us both to respond to emergencies and adapt our solutions in the best possible way.

Growth strategy-

Dare to dream about the things you might accomplish. Bisleri must set ambitious objectives that form the foundation of our future success. Bisleri must make progress in the face of uncertainty and approach our work with the mindset of an entrepreneur

COMPETETERS That is not bad going , copncidering that the market for bottled water has three

Strong national players other than BISLERI :

1.Aqafina

2.Kinsley

3 . Tata’s Himalayan

And countless regional pretenders

According to Ramesh Chauan the chairman of BISLERI INRERNATIONAL “The water business is huge and is going to get much larger .

He points to a study on beverage market that indicates water is 2.2 times the size of the soft-

Drink market , in terms of litres .

BUT STILLNOW BISLERI INTERNATIONAL HAS 60% MARKETSHARE OF ITS OWN .

Almost a year after Tata Tea bought the "Himalayan" brand of bottled water owned by Mount Everest Mineral Water, the company is ready with its plans to leveraging the

brand. Announcements will be made within a fortnight regarding the future of Himalayan.

The company has been aiming to establish itself as a global player in beverages, especially in the verticals of tea, coffee and water. After selling its stake in Glaceau in 2006-end for a profit of $523 million that it earned within a year of buying the stake, the company went on to buy an over 30% stake in Himalayan.

Himalayan is a natural water brand, with majority of its business being institutional. Natural water segment is growing at 15% annually. The market size for bottled water is Rs 1,200 crore, and only 10% of this is natural water.

Natural water differs from regular packaged water in that it is packaged at its source in its present form and involves no process.

Himalayan's bottling plant is in Himachal Pradesh, with a bottling capacity of 2.5 lakh litres per day.

It is based at a perennial source, the only one in India, making it a great business venture. The aquifer in Himachal (zones in the earth where water is stored) has a huge reserve with a potential on a replenishable basis to tap up to four to five times the Evian water source output at present.

Evian is present in the Alps, the only other major natural water source.

ACCORDING TO AQUAFINA

Bisleri sold its premium brand of bottled water with the slogan "from the Himalayas'' helping it to nibble into the premium water market segment. The use of the Himalaya name landed Chauhan into a legal spat with the Tata Group. Bisleri has already formed tie-ups with JW Mariott and Hyatt Regency to sell its mountain water brand.

Secondthing they give the slogan “OUR PRODUCTS ARE GOOD ,BUT OUR DEALERS ARE VERY LAZY .

BISLERI ACHIVEMETS

1. Annual growth rate of Bisleri :35-40 percent2. Bottles sold per day :15 million3. Numbers of retail outlets covered : 3,15,0004. Execlusive distributers : 3,400

5. Numbers of factories :54 , will have another 30-32 more by 2010

GRAPH

[Comparison between companies regarding sales ]

ADVERTISEMAENT STRATEGY-

It is our endeavour to be recognized .

social responsibility is our passion. The company’s commitment, aligned with that of the Group, extends beyond issues of health alone. We take pride not only in providing products that facilitate health and well-being, but also in shouldering responsibilities towards society.

It is obvious that reach holds the key to the market. With 16 plants at14 locations across the country (except the east), he is planning double capacities at all of them to 200 million cases a day. For this he plans to invest at least Rs 60 crore to upgrade facilities. By the year 2002, he hopes to increase Bisleri’s reach five-fold to almost 2,500 towns and cities and will pump Rs 200 crore into the Bisleri brand. These measures, he hopes, will give Bisleri a market share of more than 85 per cent by the year 2002.

At the same time he is pursuing a multi-pack and multi-price strategy. Today Bisleri offers 7 packaging options; a 250-ml cup and bottles in 500 ml, 1-litre, 2-litre, 5-litre, 12-litre and 20-litre packs. The 1-litre bottle accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the sales, with the 2-litre bottle taking up 20 per cent of the sales. The remaining sizes share the balance. Not only does he plan to make the basic pack-sizes available all over the country, he has also decided to create greater variety in packaging. With innovation in packaging being a key, the company has introduced a new category, the 12-litre pack in water-scarce city of Chennai and this has proved tremendously popular.

Mr. Chauhan is also pursuing a price strategy and is confident that with the growth in volumes he will be able to bring down the prices. He feels that Bisleri is priced to benefit volume purchase. For instance while the 1-litre bottle is priced at Rs 10, the 2-litre bottle is priced at Rs 15 (Rs 7.50 per litre), the 5-litre pack at Rs 20 ( Rs 4 per litre) and the 20-litre pack at 70 (Rs 3.50 per litre).

While on the one hand he feels that the 500ml and the 250ml packs are the growth area of the future, he is also targeting the household segment with the large pack sizes. Households, he says, in certain parts of the country spend a huge amount of money on fuel in order to purify water. For instance, in the water-scarce south, people spend large sums of money to buy water and still more to purify it. With the runaway hit of its new 12-litre product in some cities of the south, the company is finding it difficult to meet the demands of these markets.

Mr. Chauhan attributes the sudden spurt in the growth of the bottled water industry, to growing awareness levels caused by increased promotional activities by the industry players. This is probably the first time that mineral water is being pushed so aggressively on the television. He feels that Bisleri itself is responsible in a large way for the growing popularity of the product. And he may well be right. The Bisleri brand does have tremendous recall in the consumer mindscape and, in some places, is used as a generic name for bottled water.

According to him Parle and other mineral water brands have been the beneficiaries of the bad quality of municipal tap water and rising consumer awareness due to increasing stridency of water filter companies. He believes that his major competitors are not other mineral water brands but the innumerable branded water filters, which have flooded the market. This perhaps explains his recent brush with Eureka Forbes, which took Parle Bisleri to court over what it alleged were

offensive advertisements by the company showing the Eureka Forbes water filter, Aquaguard, in poor light.

Mr. Chauhan’s expectations from the mineral water market may be too high as 70 per cent of the mineral water consumed in this country is by travelers and even here soft drinks are strong competitors. In the household segment, he will have to compete against the traditional methods of purifying water, the water filters like the Aqua Guard from Eureka Forbes, which he claims are partly responsible for success of mineral water brands.

On the other hand perhaps he is right. Distribution will ultimately drive brand success, at least for national level brands. Also, currently local/regional brands seem to be moving off the shelves. With Bisleri becoming a generic name for bottled drinking water, if he can manage the distribution of the product to make it available where the consumer needs it the most, he may well succeed in his gamble with water!

With business environments becoming dynamic and turbulent, organizations are facing a difficult task in attracting and retaining their customers. They need to understand customer behavior and leverage customer information to manage customers profitably. Those who are not able to do this will eventually go out of business.

A business firm markets its products to satisfy customer needs and wants, and in turn, achieve its own goals. Marketing starts with identifying customer needs and wants and ends with satisfying them through a coordinated set of activities. An understanding of this fact gives rise to the marketing concept. The marketing concept embraces all the activities of a firm. It aims at matching the company’s offering with customer needs, to achieve the desired level of customer satisfaction and generate profits for the company.

The important features of marketing are customer orientation, long-term profitability and functional integration. Delivering products which give value and satisfaction to the customer is the main goal of marketers. But over-concentration on any one feature (such as production, distribution etc.) leads to marketing myopia.

Marketers need to deliver value to their customers. Sometimes, they also need to inform them about the value they are delivering. Complete customer satisfaction is achieved by understanding customer requirements and delivering superior quality goods and services. Companies must provide the customers with a continuous flow of new ideas/offers and constantly enhance their service levels to build up satisfaction among customers.

Marketers also need to work continuously to find ways and means to build good relations with their customers. This requires integration of all the areas of business that touch the customers like marketing, sales, customer service etc., through integration of people, processes and technology.

CONCLUSION

There is no more fresh water on Earth today than there was a million years ago. Yet today, 6 billion people share it. Since 1950, the world population has doubled, but water use has tripled, notes John Dickerson, an analyst and fund manager based in San Diego. Unlike petroleum, he adds, no technological innovation can ever replace water.

Why invest in water?

Because water is a rock-solid growth area for these simple reasons:

• Water will become more scarce in the future because there    will be a greater net consumption of water.

• The water that is now available will become contaminated

The World Bank’s recent report on India warned, “Unless dramatic changes are made - and made soon - India will not have the cash to maintain and build new infrastructure, nor the water required for the economy and its people.”

MY VIEW:-

Growing consumer awareness about health has spurred the demand for packaged water .

.