According to media reports, Bisleri International and multinational conglomerate Tata Group are in negotiations to buy a stake in the market leader in bottled water.
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) division of the Tata Group, Tata Consumer Products Ltd., is said to have started the discussions, according to news agency PTI.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the talks are just in their very early stages, therefore it would be premature to predict that a deal would materialise. Tata and Bisleri both declined to offer comments on the situation.
The Tata Group sells packaged mineral water under the name Himalayan as well as two other brands in the hydration market: Tata Copper Plus Water and Tata Gluco.
According to PTI, which cited industry watchers, if the Tata-Bisleri merger is approved, it will give Tata Consumer Products Ltd. a bigger role in the bottled water market, which is expanding quickly.
In India, there are numerous businesses involved in the bottled water industry. But Bisleri commands the market.
Tata Consumer Products Ltd. wants to dominate the FMCG market by diversifying its business and increasing its presence in new markets.
“With strong product innovation, investment in strengthening our brands and strategic acquisitions, we are well on track in our journey to become a leading FMCG company,” the Tata Group’s FMCG wing said in its latest annual report.
