Kolkata, June 17: Dalmia Consumer Care, which launched its nicotine-free bidi in the national capital last week, has unveiled the product here targetting to penetrate 150 other Indian cities by the end of the year. Managing director and CEO of the Rs 1,200-crore company, Sudershan Banerjee said at the launch that the company would use cluster activities like folk art forms, jatras and local influences to take the healthy alternative to tobacco to remote areas through 2.5 lakh outlets in the country.

"The Rs 1,200 crore Indian market, where 15 crore bidis are smoked every hour, seems the best ground to launch the tobacco-free bidi that mimics the kick and pleasure of conventional bidis minus its ills," Banerjee said.
Priced at Rs 3.50 per pack of 20 bidis for the eastern market and Rs four for others, the packaging has been done in nine language variants to penetrate regional markets, chief operating officer of the group Kartik Raina said.

Developed from Indian plants to give an alternative to people who are willing to quit tobacco, the product branded as 'Vardaan' has been tested at the Central Tobacco Research Institute and Arista Labs of the US, he said.
The company would invest around Rs 50 crore in the next two years, he said. Bureau Report