MTR-owner Orkla India eyes new growth plan
Orkla India, the owner of the MTR and Eastern spice brands, is eyeing acquisitions to expand its portfolio, and banking on quick-delivery platforms and demand for ready-to-eat meals to drive double-digit revenue growth, its CEO said.Dealmaking in the consumer goods and retail sector has picked up as large groups chase growth, reaching a four-year high for January-September led by the food and beverages category, according to investment bank Equirus Capital.Top transactions include Tilaknagar Industries' $486 million purchase of the Imperial Blue whisky brand from France's Pernod Ricard and Singapore-based Wilmar International's $832 million stake deal in AWL Agri Business."We are on the lookout for more M&A targets (that strongly reflect the local culture and food)... Anything that starts at Rs 1 crore - 2 crore(about $11 million-$22 million), going up to any size," Sanjay Sharma, CEO and managing director at Orkla India, told Reuters on Thursday.The company has enough cash and can raise more money to finance deals, Sharma added.The Indian arm of Norwegian consumer goods group Orkla, which merged MTR and Eastern in 2023, expects to return to its historical double-digit revenue growth in fiscal 2026 and beyond.