Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), which is the FMCG part of Reliance Industries, has bought Southern Health Foods. This company from Tamil Nadu owns Manna, a well-known health food brand. The price isn’t public, but it’s a move to grow in the quickly changing India Direct-to-consumer and packaged food market.
If you follow India’s D2C news, this deal shows that the D2C scene in India is getting more consolidated. This is especially true for health-focused foods like millet-based products. Southern Health Foods has been around for over 20 years and made Manna a well-known brand in Tamil Nadu and nearby southern states.
Manna sells millets, oats, multigrain items, breakfast cereals, health mixes, dry fruits, and baby food. These products fit well with what Indian D2C consumers want, like good nutrition, traditional grains, and ways to stay healthy. Their millet flour, multigrain drink mixes, and baby food are trusted in the health food world. That makes Manna a good addition to RCPL’s growing food section.
RCPL said that Manna makes their food selection stronger. They already own brands like Udhaiyam, Independence, and SiL. This purchase helps them focus on the growing area of millet-based foods. More people are becoming aware of healthy eating habits.
T Krishnakumar, a Director at RCPL, said that Manna is one of the most trusted health brands in its area. With Reliance’s good distribution, research, and supply chain, Manna should be able to grow past just the southern region and go nationwide.
If you’re watching Indian D2C news, this deal shows how big companies are buying trusted regional brands to grow faster in the food business. Instead of starting from nothing, acquisitions allow faster access to consumer trust and supply chains.
This deal also fits with the trend of consolidation in the D2C world, where big players are adding to their packaged food lines to meet the rising demand for nutritious foods.
Manna becoming part of RCPL could help it get seen by more people through different strategies to sell directly to consumers, like combining general trade, modern trade, and online sales. Because Reliance has a large retail network, Manna can go from being a strong regional brand to a well-known name across the country.
This purchase shows the move toward organized growth, strong distribution, and deeper categories. As people care more about millets and baby nutrition, brands in this area should grow faster. Reliance Consumer buying Manna shows confidence in India’s health-focused D2C brands and continued growth in the country’s Direct-to-consumer startup world.
