IS THIS NEWS OR PROPAGANDA?
Walking the (cake) walk BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, AUG 22 - With a turnover set to touch Rs 9 crore this fiscal, and projected to cross Rs 10 crore in 2009-10, New Millennium Bakers (NMB) one of nine nationwide manufacturing franchises of Monginis and part of the Kashinath Damodar Naik (KDN) group, is claimed by Datta Naik, its CEO, "to be to day's undisputed leader in the bakery and confectionary industry in Goa." A factory was set up in 2000 at Verna as part of a manufacturing franchise agreement signed with the Mumbai-based Khorakiwalas, owners of Monginis, under which four per cent of their turnover is payable to the principals for technical know- how and use of the Monginis brand. On the other hand, NMB have entered into retail franchise agreements with 33 retail outlets across Goa since 2000 till date, each of these entitled to a 20 per cent commission on MRP. Eight years after the tie up with Monginis, Naik claims, "as part of our growth plan, we have ploughed back on an average Rs 50 lakh per anum, mainly towards expansion of our manufacturing capacity. Our advertising and marketing budget for 2006-07 was Rs 18 lakh and Rs 22 lakh in 2007- 08." Srikant Naik, in-charge of finance and procurement says, "We achieved sales of Rs 1.73 crore in 2000-2001 going up to Rs 6.26 crore in 2006-07 and to Rs 7.33 crore in: 2007-08 - a major contributory factor beingthe Monginis brand, besides our success in establishing an evenly spread all-Goa presence and product mix entailing introduction of 4-5 new products every month. At present we make 200 plus products." Namita Dalvi, in-charge of quality control explains, "Our QC regime includes testing at our in-house laboratory, as also half- J yearly checks conducted by our principals. Over and above, we have adopted a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) audit procedure started in 2005. This means there will be two HACCP audits, the second one is due this month end." All this has been put into place to ensure that from raw materials to products on retailers' shop shelves are safe for consumption she said. "Periodic checks are conducted at retail outlets to ensure freshness and quality." HACCP is a food safety methodology that relies on the - identification of critical control points (CCP) in food production and preparation processes. The CCPs are the closely monitored in order to ensure food safety standardsare fully met, according to, her. It has been a 100 year journey for the joint family business. "We are among only five per cent ff family managed enterprises that last beyond the fourth generation. We traded in foodgrains and import of consumer products prior to Liberation. Post 1961, we moved into distribution for fast moving consumer goods such as Cadbury, Britannia, Tomeo among others, operating from three locations at Margao, Panjim and Mapusa," Naik says. "In 1985, we diversified into production (on a franchisee model) of Dukes products Mangola, Lemonade, Gingerale at Kakoda. However, with the takeover of Dukes by Pepsi who we believed were not serious about promoting those brands as was the experience of other manufacturing franchises like us, but were intent on pushing their own brands. We therefore, decided to, hive off the manufacturing facility." However, with the experience of manufacturing and distribution of food items under their belt, Naik decided to go for the Monginis franchise. As for the short-term expansion plans, launching up to 10 more retail outlets is on the cards for which exact locations.' would be finalised in due course In. the long term, tentative plans are afoot to set up an' additional manufacturing facility to cater to the Belgaum-Hubli-Kholapur triangle. The KDN group has diverse interests as being C&F (clearing & forwarding) agents for major FMCGs and in real estate as Commonwealth Developers which is jointly, managed by Deep Karapurkar, his partner and himself. Monginis has sponsored this year's 46th National "B" ch.ess cha mpionships in Goa and organised a Mongini's Quiz for school and college students and instituted the Monginis' Puraskar in over 100 schools in Goa. (Pg. 11 dtd. 23/8/08) [Below is the Pg 3 report on same day 23/8/08 in which Monginis figures] A bitter taste for sweetmarts........................... HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, AUG 22 - If you are buying food items sealed in plastic bags from any of the several sweet marts at the KTC bus stand in Panjim then do it at your own peril. You could be eating junk! Several of these food packets seized from the KTC bus stand on Friday by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) were found to be flouting the Packaged Commodity Rules (PCR), 1997. At noon today GOACAN coordinator Roland Martin was seen going around the shops picking up food packets which had no name and address of the manufacturer. Some ofthem had no expiry dates and no quantity specified as required by packaging rules laid down by the Legal Metrology Department. Packets of 'chivda', toasts, biscuits, cake, wafers, bread, etc., were seized, by GOACAN along with inspectors from the Food and Drugs Department and officials from the Legal Metrology Department, who made their presence at the bus stand 45 minutes later. One of the packets seized from one of the shops had the licence, but no full address of the manufacturer and was using FDA name in gross violation of the rules. Even five packets of Monginis cake were seized. Packets were picked up from Raj Purohit Sweet & Dry Fruits, Purohit Sweet Palace, Reshma Sweet Mart, Presidential Supermarket, Purohit Sweet Corner, Kohinoor Sweet Mart, Shriniwas Juice Parlour, Qmkar Juice Centre, Cozy Corner and Jai Hanuman Shopping Centre. Assistant Controller from the Legal Metrology Department V R Naik, who was on the spot, told this reporter that retailers as well as manufacturers who are found flouting rules would be fined. When contacted, Controller Nagesh Naik informed that a total of eight cases were booked today and those guilty would be penalised. He said in view of Ganesh Chaturthi there is heavy. demand for sweets. We have instructed all our inspectors to strictly carry out inspections at sweet shops, he added. Martin said the drive today was part of the Consumer Rights Awareness campaign just before Ganesh. The campaign is on since August 20 and will end on September 3, he informed and warned, "More such drives will be carried out by GOACAN."
