The Journey Of Bisleri So Far - As It Reportedly Changes Hands From Parle Group To Tata Consumer Products

Recent reports suggest that Tata Consumer Products will be acquiring Bisleri International for an estimated ₹6,000 Crore-₹7,000 Crore. Bisleri, which has grown to become one of India’s largest drinking water manufacturers, has a market share of about 32% in the organised market.

But how did Bisleri become the giant brand that is synonymous with drinking water? Today, let us take a look at the journey of Bisleri as it is set to change hands.

Bisleri was originally founded by an Italian businessman and chemist Felice Bisleri. Later, in the year 1965, Bisleri established its first water plant in Thane, Maharashtra. However, the company soon wanted to exit the Indian market as they were unable to successfully market bottled water in the country.

This is when Ramesh Chauhan of the Parle Group saw an opportunity and acquired Bisleri Ltd. from its Italian owners. The quality of drinking water in the country around that time was extremely poor, creating an opportunity for the packaged drinking water industry in India.

After the acquisition, Parle and Bisleri started concurrently producing various products in the markets like drinking water, soft drinks, aerated beverages, and soda. Eventually, Bisleri gained popularity across India and proposed to expand its businesses overseas.

Over the years, Bisleri has introduced various products that have helped in shaping the brand’s popularity and multiplying its customer base.  Though it has diversified its product range, the company is widely known for its packaged drinking water. Today, the name ‘Bisleri’ is synonymous with drinking water and has a market share of 32% in the organised market. This is because Bisleri offers its products at affordable rates, with more quantity at a low cost. 

To ensure that Bisleri is easily accessible to all consumers in the country, the brand started producing packaged drinking water in various sizes over the years. In 1991, it started manufacturing 20-litre cans of packaged Bisleri water for home and office use. Later in 1995, it hit a masterstroke by introducing the 500 ml Bisleri water bottle that was comfortable to carry anywhere.

To stand out from its competitors, the brand changed its labels from blue to its signature green colour in the year 2006.

Bisleri has adopted various forms of promotional and marketing strategies, ranging from television advertisements, print media, billboards, posters, hoardings and personal selling. The company’s famous one-liner ‘Bisleri is veri veri extraordinari’ was part of their first advertisement and captured the attention of a large number of consumers. 

Over the years, the company has come out with many such campaigns that have given Bisleri great exposure. Some of the notable campaigns by Bisleri include the ‘One Nation, One Water’ campaign where they introduced labels in different regional languages for people from different regions, and the ‘Har pani ki bottle Bisleri nahi’ campaign where they promoted the idea that every packaged drinking water bottle is Bisleri.

Bisleri’s growth in India from 1965 to 2022 is magnificent. Today, the company boasts of being ‘the most trusted brand of mineral water in India’, having 122 operational plants (of which 13 are owned), a distribution network of 4,500 distributors & 5000 distribution trucks across India and its neighbouring countries. 

Suggested Read: Ramesh Chauhan Says Talks On With Tata Consumer For Bisleri Sale