Kolkata, Dec 16 Bijoligrill Aerated Water Co Pvt Ltd, which re-launched its ice-cream soda on Sunday, is looking at more than three-fold growth in a year.

The company took over the brand and also the factory at New Alipore from the Barik brothers in March last year.

Manoj K Sarkar, director of the company, said: "Bijoligrill products have been among the most popular in the eastern region since 1978. The brand has ruled the market and Bengali taste buds for more than 25 years." The company will soon start exhaustive advertisement campaigns.

The Bariks stopped production in October 2005 owing to funds crunch and management issues.

Ice-cream soda, which contributes 60% of the revenue for the present company, will be the biggest revenue driver in the next few years.

Unlike float or ice cream mixed with soda,

Bijoligrill's speciality is ice cream-flavoured soda. Spencers originally brought the recipe from England.

"We do not face any competition from multinational players as we are the only company in the ice-cream soda market," said Manoj Sarkar. The company is eyeing a turnover of Rs 10 crore by 2008-09.

"We have invested Rs 3 crore for the plant's modernisation. The new fully automatic composite plant is capable of producing 15,000 crates a day," said managing director Kuntal Sarkar. The factory produces 200 crates of plain soda and 1,000 crates of ice-cream soda a day.

The company is talking to old customers like the Indian Railways and the ministry of defence. It has also planned to introduce orange, lemon and pineapple flavours in the sparkling water category by January.

The company has also planned to launch tender coconut water, processed and packed in 300-ml cans, under the Bijoligrill brand name by February. The product, already in the market under the brand name of Benfresh Tender Coconut Water, is mainly exported to the US and European Markets

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com