Vol. 3 :: No. 2 January, 2001 (Poush-Magh)

Recent Launches

Baker’s Pride Chocos in Nepal

Maruti Trading Pvt. Ltd. has launched into the Nepali market chocolates from the Oman–based Baker’s Pride. According to Maruti Trading, Baker’s Pride, a company of international status, has a wide range of chocolate products including Mega, Bravo, Island, Zoom, Bang and Oasis. These brands are going to be available here too, reveals the company.

Targeting mainly the children, the chocolates are presented in 20g and 30g packages and are priced very competitively at Rs. 11 for a bar, informs the company.

Delivering Promises

, a direct marketing company specializing in delivery services, has launched its services in Kathmandu. "It is more than a courier company envisioning itself to be the distribution network backbone for all E-com and M-com companies in Kathmandu Valley and beyond," claims the company's brochure.

Three major services presently being provided by bitarak.com are in the fields of individual and household requirement, organisational requirement and Bitarak Postal Services. Subscription deliveries of various local publications, Indian newspapers and magazines as well as other foreign publications will be made at given addresses. Payment of electricity bills, telephone bills, school fees and light chores of similar nature that people find time–consuming and frustrating will also be serviced, the company says.

In organisational requirement, delivery of letters, newsletters, invitation cards, annual reports, shareholder-related papers, dividend cheques and warrants, books and other documents from every organization are to be serviced. This includes monthly account statements and credit card statements from banks and financial institutions.

Bitarak Postal Service (BPS) is to provide post box services to registered users through GPO Box 13989. "The uniqueness of BPS over other similar services will be home delivery rather than having the customer come to the office and collect their documents", according to the company.

Though a new company, bitarak.com fine-tunes over five years of experience in perfecting the art of making deliveries of subscription copies of a large selling newsmagazine every fortnight in Kathmandu Valley. The key to these deliveries was to complete it before the copies hit the newsstands through its newsstand distribution channel the very next day. "Almost every time the satisfied subscribers had a smile on their face", the company claims.

The price for the delivery services is set at Rs. 15.00 per document weighing up to 50 gms plus Rs. 1.00 per every additional 10 gms. Special rates are available for bulk deliveries, says the company.

Malaysian Eatables in Nepal

Continental Marketing Pvt. Ltd. has introduced in Nepal different products from Four season Foodstuff Industries (M) SDN BHD of Malaysia, under brand name Tenten. The products are Tenten Fruit Jelly, Tenten Instant Coffee, Tenten Cappuccino Coffee and Tenten Instant Cereal Bar. According to the company, while the Fruit Jelly is available in 18 gm and 130 gm packages and priced respectively at Rs. 3 and Rs. 30, Tenten Instant Coffee and Cappuccino Coffee can be bought in 20 gm and 25 gm packages at Rs. 8 and Rs. 25 respectively. Similarly, the Instant Cereal Bar is priced Rs. 12 and is available in 30 gm packages. According to Rajesh Upadhyaya, the Managing Director of Continental Marketing, his firm will very soon introduce other products from the Malaysian manufacturer in Nepal.

More Chocolate Bars

Fairbird Marketing Pvt. Ltd., which has time and again introduced different varieties of chocolates into the Nepali market, has very recently launched more chocolates from Concept Foods Pvt. Ltd. of India. The chocolates from the Hyderabad based company include Sunrays Fruit and Choco Fruit Bars, E2 Cereal Bars and Mango D'lite. According to the chairman of Fairbird, Manish Lal Pradhan, the chocolates are being marketed throughout the country including in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Relating that the immense popularity of chocolate fruit bars marketed previously prompted him to launch the recent varieties of chocolates in Nepal, Pradhan informs that Fairbird Marketing will introduce more of such products in future times.

NDL Brings John Bull

Established in 1959, Nepal Distillery Pvt. Ltd. (NDL) boasts of brands such as Khukuri XXX Rum, Coronation Khukuri Rum, Napoleon and Gaule. The distillery has now added to its stable a 40º UP product branded John Bull and claimed to be a "blended Scotch whisky". NDL claims that Khukuri XXX Rum holds some 90 percent market share in its category. John Bull, according to NDL, will present an entirely new drinking experience. The new drink is also expected to boost the distillery's sales.

NDL sources inform, John Bull is available in 3 pack sizes – 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml. They also state that the whisky is manufactured under strict quality control to ensure that the Scottish experience is felt drink after drink.

New System of Water Purification

CONTINENTAL Environmental Engineering Pvt. Ltd. has introduced in Nepal what it calls the latest technology in water purification. The system, known as Residential Reserve Osmosis, is a product of PureGen of USA.

According to Continental, the range of water purifiers available at present in the market only remove suspended impurities and do nothing to insoluble salts and hard metals also present in the water. Not so with the latest system, claims the firm. Reverse osmosis, it informs, is a process wherein, after pre-treatment of water, it is passed under high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane having pore size of 0.0001 micron, thus producing the best quality drinking water. Continental also reveals that the reverse osmosis technology is used to purify raw water to mineral water quality besides being used in naval ships to purify sea water to make drinking water.

Sources at Continental inform that the complete system along with the storage tank etc, is priced at around Rs. 34,500.

Bikes From Jincheng

Two-stroke bikes are to go off Kathmandu's streets from next year. This will hardly mean anything in terms of product availability for buyers. For new brands have been entering Nepali markets on a very regular basis. This month, Gurans Business Systems (P) Ltd. has introduced bikes from Nanging Jincheng Machinary Co. Ltd. of China. The 4-stroke JC 100-7 is known to have fuel efficiency of some 60 km per litre. Available in five colour options – green, silver, blue, red and yellow – the bike is priced at Rs. 1,15,000 which also includes VAT, says a source at Gurans.

According to Roop Shakya, the Managing Director of Gurans, the JC 100-7 is targeted at young riders who have a passion for style and good looks. Shakya also informs that the new Chinese bikes are exported to countries like USA, Japan as well as some European countries.

Samsung's Truck

Global Associates Pvt. Ltd. has made available different models of trucks from Samsung Commercial Vehicles Co. Ltd., Korea. According to the company, the new SV110 truck is Euro II compliant and provides comforts of a car.

The main features of the SV110 include collapsible shift lever, dual circuit brakes, tilt and telescopic steering column and collapsible gear shift.According to the company, the truck is also equipped with a high capacity interior environment control system which provides instant cooling and heating with low power loss. As a result of Samsung's unique air intake resources, and double door weather - strip, indoor noise is much less as compared to competitive models in the category, the company claims. The vehicle also has other utilities such as side wall pockets and storage glove box, the company further informs.

Chinese Mini Pick-up

Apex International Associates (P) Ltd. has recently launched mini pick-up from Changan Automobile (Group) Liability Corp. Ltd. of China into the Nepali market.

According to Deepak Acharya, the Sales and Marketing Manager of Apex, the vehicle, fitted with 797 cc EFI petrol engine, is Euro I compliant. Says Acharya, "The quality standards of the pick-up are in conformity with Suzuki's. The vehicle is characterised by low fuel consumption, high power, low emission and easy-to-maintain nature."

According to the authorised dealer, the Changan mini pick-up is priced Rs. 4,95,000 including VAT.

Lexmark in Nepal

D&D International, which has been operating in Nepal for over 20 years, has joined hands with Lexmark International to make available computer printers and printing solutions for homes, small businesses as well as government offices and corporate houses. According to D&D, Lexmark, founded in 1991, has presence in some 150 countries worldwide. The company is said to have reported revenue of nearly US $ 3.5 billion in 1999. Expressing pride in representing Lexmark in Nepal, D&D said that it will make accessible complete suite of Lexmark products to the Nepali consumers, that includes laser and inkjet printers.

Fran Duggan, the General Manager of Lexmark's business in the subcontinent, believed that the partnership with D&D International would see rise in Lexmark's market share and brand awareness in the country.

D&D also plans to put on display the Lexmark products at CAN Info Tech 2001 to be organised from January 25 to 29.

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