FMCG company Adani Wilmar, which makes popular edible oil brand ‘Fortune’ and was set up in 1999 as a joint venture between Gautam Adani led Adani group and Singapore based Wilmar, has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with market regulator Sebi for a big-bang IPO, multiple industry sources with knowledge of the matter told Moneycontrol.
“It’s entirely a primary issuance of shares and the size of the IPO is around Rs 4,500 crores,” said one of the individuals cited above.
Two other individuals confirmed the same.
The firm, which aims to be the largest food company in India by 2027, is trying to muscle its way in the fast-growing consumer segment and unlock value through the IPO. If the plans fructify, it will be the seventh firm to be listed from the diversified Adani group’s stable.
Moneycontrol was the first to report the firm’s listing plans on June 10th, 2021
Kotak Mahindra Capital, JP Morgan, Bofa Securities, Credit Suisse , ICICI Securities, HDFC and BNP Paribs are the i-banks on the issue and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is the company counsel and Indus Law is the counsel to the i-bankers, two other individuals told Moneycontrol.
All the four individuals above spoke to Moneycontrol on the condition of anonymity, We could not immediately elicit a comment from Adani Wilmar or its advisors on the filing of papers with Sebi.
In the edible oil segment, Adani Wilmar competes with brands such as Nature Fresh, Gemini and Sweekar backed by Cargill, Saffola owned by Marico, Sundrop by Agro Tech Foods, Dhara by Mother Dairy and others owned by Emami Group and Patanjali.
Adani Wilmar is not the only player in the edible oil segment planning a 2021 debut on Dalal Street. Gemini Edibles, a prominent player down south and the Indian arm of Golden Agri-Resources, the world's second-largest palm oil plantation company, also plans to launch an IPO and raise Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 1,800 crore. It is backed by private equity firm Proterra Investment Partners as well.
Over and above edible oil, Adani Wilmar has also diversified into other segments such as basmati rice, atta, maida, sooji, rawa, pulses and besan.
ADANI WILMAR: THE EDIBLE OIL FOOTPRINT
According to its website, the firm has the largest distribution network among all branded edible oil players in India, with 85 stock points, 5,000 distributors and a 10 percent retail penetration which spans across approximately 1.5 million outlets all over the country. It has introduced value added health oils like Rice Bran and Vivo and its edible oil brand Rupchanda is the market leader in Bangladesh where the firm owns and operates two large refineries.
The joint venture owns 22 units that cumulatively translate to a refining capacity of over 16,800 tonnes per day and a seed crushing capacity of 8,800 tonnes per day. It has the largest range of edible oils spanning across the categories of soya, sun, mustard, rice bran, groundnut, cottonseed and the company has extended its range with the introduction of functional oils Xpert ProSugar Conscious & Xpert ProImmunity Oils which help in managing blood sugar levels and boost immunity.
THE REST OF THE BOUQUET OF PRODUCTS
As mentioned earlier, the firm is present in segments such as basmati rice, atta, maida, sooji, rawa, pulses and besan. It has also forayed into ready- to-cook khichdi and sugar and has launched Soya Chunkies, a healthy snack. It also caters to institutional demand through its industry essential range which includes bulk packs of consumer essentials as well as lauric & bakery fats, castor oil derivatives, oleo chemicals and soya value added products.
The oleo chemical plant at Mundra gives an output of 400 tonnes per day and it is one of the largest single location facilities in India. Fatty acids, stearic acids, soap noodles and refined glycerine are also part of the portfolio. The firm has a combined processing capacity of 1200 million tonnes of castor seeds per day with solvent and refining units.
Adani Wilmar exports branded edible oil including lecithin, castor & soya value added products to more than 19 countries in the Middle-East, South East Asia & East Africa including Singapore, Australia & New Zealand.
That’s not all, the firm is also present in the personal and skin care category with brands like Alife Soap. It has made a recent entry in the hand wash and hand sanitiser segment . The consolidated product portfolio of Adani Wilmar includes the following brands - Fortune, King’s, Bullet, Raag, Avsar, Pilaf, Jubilee, Fryola, Alpha, Alife and Aadhar.
In November 2020, post the completion of 20 years of its flagship ‘Fortune’ brand, Adani Wilmar Deputy CEO Angshu Mallick had said the company’s revenue is in excess of Rs 30,000 crore, of which edible oil business contributes around Rs 24,000 crore. He had also added that the company will continue to have double-digit growth and that the share of food business in the overall turnover would rise gradually.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
