Ruchi Soya, ITC Among World's Fastest Growing Consumer Products Firms: Deloitte

Ruchi Soya Industries and ITC are among the world's 50 fastest growing consumer products companies, according to global consultancy Deloitte. Ruchi Soya - India's largest manufacturer of edible oil - ranked 22nd, while ITC - the country's biggest cigarette maker - was 28th on the list.

Indore-based Ruchi Soya, which also manufactures soya foods and vanaspati, has a market capitalisation of around Rs 1,500 crore. Koltaka-based ITC is much bigger with a market cap of Rs 2.80 lakh crore.

ITC gets 50 per cent of its revenues from cigarette sales, but has also diversified into one of India's fastest-growing FMCG firms; it also owns and operates a number of hotels.

According to Deloitte, the easing of inflation in the country will have a positive impact on growth for consumer-focussed companies such as Ruchi Soya and ITC.

Consumer price inflation, tracked by the Reserve Bank to set interest rates, is at a three-month low, while wholesale prices are in the negative territory, reflecting a cooling off of prices. (Read more)

Global scenario

Despite an economic slowdown, the world's largest 250 players in the consumer products sector "generated nearly $3.1 trillion of sales in fiscal year 2013 (which encompasses fiscal years ended through June 2014)". Based on the 250 companies' data, Deloitte estimates an average company size of $12.3 billion or Rs 76,260 crore for the sectoral players.

As a whole, financial year 2013-14 was another challenging year for the global economy. Overall, recovery by many economies around the globe continued to be uneven and weak, said Deloitte in its 'Global Power of Consumer Product 2015' report, which looks into details of the world's largest consumer products companies.

Consumer products companies completed 1,421 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals in 2013. Based on the numbers to date, 2014 is on track to reach or surpass 2013's M&A deal volume, Deloitte said.

Topped by South Korean electronics major Samsung, Deloitte's list of the world's top 250 players in the segment ranks American tech giant Apple Inc and Swiss food and beverage company Nestle SA at the second and third positions, respectively.