Britannia Industries: focus on cost cutting

Mumbai / IN. (bi) Britannia Industries Limited, India´s leading Food Company, said it has adopted various measures to cut cost to maintain margins and is also open to the idea of launching «healthy food» in more segments. «There has been pressure but in the last two quarters we have held on to our operating margins. We have adopted various means like better use of energy and machineries, process improvement and efficiency in use of materials», Britannia Industries MD and CEO Vinita Bali told local newspapers. Regarding the possibility of increasing prices of its product to cope with rise in sugar prices, a key ingredient in making Indian bakery products, she said: «We manage revenues and pricing as dynamic propositions. We continue to cut cost and increase prices». In its annual general meeting earlier this year the company had said it has saved 180 crore INR over last four years due to cost cutting measures. Bali also said the company is open to the idea of introducing more healthy food products in various segment. «We are constantly looking at new segments. Our focus in not only on healthy bakery products but also on our dairy business. We have recently launched zero fat milk and special cheese with 30 per cent less calorie», Bali said.