We Will Beat Hindustan Unilever's Turnover Next Fiscal: Baba Ramdev

Says Patanjali will go for Ruchi Soya’s share sale in 2 years

- Meenakshi Verma Ambwani Shishir Sinha

Patanjali Ayurved recently completed its first major acquisition — of Ruchi Soya —through the insolvency process, giving it access to key brands in the edible oil space, manufacturing plants as well as a strong distribution network.

Baba Ramdev remains unfazed by the prevailing economic slowdown, and reiterates his ambition to make Patanjali the largest FMCG company in the country, leveraging its swadeshi antecedents. Speaking to BusinessLine, he said the company aims to achieve a combined turnover of ₹25,000 crore this fiscal.

“We aim to become the largest FMCG company and we believe we will beat Hindustan Unilever in terms of turnover by next financial year,” he said.
Excerpts:

What is your view on the current economic slowdown?

I agree there is stress in the market. However, I believe every challenge is an opportunity. Consumers have been focussing more on saving and have reduced their spends. But this reduction in spends is happening more on luxury goods and not so much on essential items required for everyday use.

After all, it’s not like the country’s agricultural produce has reduced or that consumers have stopped using essential items like soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, edible oils and ghee.

But in the past two years, Patanjali Ayurved’s revenues have been impacted adversely...