India’s largest poultry company, Suguna Foods, has announced the launch of the Delfrez brand. Part of a strategic brand restructure, this will enable the firm’s products to be sold both online and through its own retail channel.
Launched last week, Delfrez represents a significant development in the business of Suguna Foods, reports Economic Times of India. It is the company’s first “click and mortar” brand, which will facilitate sales of diverse quality poultry products through both online and offline formats.
Through some of India’s leading online and offline channels, the Delfrez brand will include mainly Suguna’s ready-to-eat (RTE), ready-to-cook, and marinated poultry meat products. Meanwhile, the company describes Delfrez retail as a spacious store where shoppers will be able to find fresh produce in a stress-free environment.
The firm reports the investment has cost 1 billion rupees (INR; US$13.2 million). By the end of 2025, more than 1,000 outlets are planned.
According to Suguna Foods’ chairman, B. Soundararajan, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic offered an important learning opportunity for the company. It also provided the stimulus for the firm’s latest rebranding initiative.
While confirming the commitment to supporting the 40,000 contract farmers in India and their families, he said Suguna will be expanding its market share worldwide. Launching the new brand will enable the firm to achieve this dual focus, he said.
In launching the Defrez brand, executive director Vignesh Soundararajan said the firm will be better meeting the needs of consumers.
The new venture will bring more protein to everyone’s plate, he said.
As well as launching the new brand, Economic Times reports that Suguna has set up a number of other restructuring initiatives, including a new company logo.
More on Suguna Foods
A little over one year ago, the effects of the pandemic had pushed Suguna to rationalize its operations. At the time, the company announced it was focusing production on enriched eggs and processed poultry meat.
In July, Suguna Foods was among the companies urging the Indian government to allow the importation of genetically modified (GM) soybean meal. According to a report in Indian Express, locally produced soybeans were in short supply, and global prices had risen sharply. These factors had driven up the cost of poultry production in India.
Just last month, Krishi Jagran reported that the company had launched a new range of poultry feeds in Bihar. In this northeastern state of India, Suguna has introduced four diets for laying hens of different ages and phases of egg production.
In the November 2021 issue of Poultry International, Suguna Foods was listed as India’s leading poultry meat producer, and the fourth largest in Asia. Annual slaughterings were estimated at 517 million birds.
The firm is based in Coimbatore in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
According to WATTPoultry.com’s Top Poultry Companies database, Suguna Foods is a vertically integrated poultry operation. the group markets live broiler chickens, value-added eggs and frozen chicken products, and operates a chain of retail outlets in India. It also exports frozen chicken to a number of destinations.
