The Hindu Business Line : HUL to set up ‘experiential’ kiosks under Lipton

Mumbai, March 26 This summer HUL is extending its OOH (Out of Home) business by setting up ‘experiential kiosks’ under the Lipton brand. Graduating from its existing vending machines, almost 50 such kiosks are planned this year which it would set up at corporate parks, railway stations and airports.

According to an HUL official, “Unlike the vending machines where you just to push a button, the new experiential kiosks would serve mocktails and heath oriented beverages made from HUL’s beverage brands. Apart from beverages, the kiosks are also expected to serve ice-creams. Through the kiosks we want to give experiential bursts for our beverage brands.”

The kiosks would be run on a franchise model. “We would have a business partner on board and the kiosks will be run on 10 by 10 square feet area,” added the official.

Ice-creams doing well

Having done a pilot test in Delhi recently, HUL is now poised to roll out these kiosks nationally along the lines of its existing ice-cream parlour brand - Swirl’s which is also run through franchisees.

In fact, ice-creams have become a profitable business for HUL within its foods portfolio which includes beverages and processed foods.

“Today, we have segmented our ice-cream portfolio. We have separate brands for retail, OOH and a parlour brand,” stated the official.

Meanwhile within the foods business, HUL intends staying away from the ready-to-eat business. “We have recently introduced the ready to cook range under Knorr but we certainly would not be entering the ready to eat category in foods. In future, there would be more products under the Knorr franchise but these would be adapted from our international portfolio under Knorr which includes a host of cooking aid products,” stated the official.

‘Modern’ focus

Besides, there are also chances of ‘Modern’ as a brand to get a new lease of life within HUL’s food portfolio. “All this time we have been waiting for Modern to turn around as a brand.

Today, we have breads and cakes under it and will be soon trying to stretch the equity of this acquired brand,” added the official. In the past, HUL had tried to extend the equity of Modern into biscuits but later decided against it.

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