Evian, here we come

The Delhi-based 77 year old firm Dharampal Satyapal, now renamed the D.S.Group – world famous for their tobacco and non-tobacco chewing products such as the Baba and Tulsi brands of zarda, and Rajnigandha paan masala, Catch spices, snacks, soft beverages including Catch mineral water etc. are in diversification mode. The Rs.1,000 crore group is likely to unfold a Rs. 1,000 crore investment plan soon for new businesses which would include 5 star hotels in Delhi, Kolkata, Udaipur, Shimla and Guwahati, a rubber thread and a steel rolling plant in Agartala, and a flexible packaging unit at Guwahati. The group envisages an investment of Rs 600 crore alone into hotels, restaurants and resorts. It already owns the Manu Maharani hotel at Nainital and has acquired the Kolkata Centaur from the ITDC and is in the process of renovating it. In addition, it is likely to invest another Rs. 100 crore in a Pringles style ready-to-eat food and has identified a foreign partner for a JV. The company is also working on a plan to bring spring water from Himachal Pradesh and market it as something that compares with the MNC brand Evian mineral water. It recently launched a blend of cola and spring water and lemon in spring water beverages under the Catch brand name.