Buy Choco Fills from paanwallahs: ITC to tap street vendors for FMCG

ITC’s cigarette business is rubbing of on its FMCG products too. After setting up an online store locator which will map more than 20 lakh stores, including organised retail and kirana outlets, across India with almost real-time information, ITC plans to push sales of its FMCG unit by asking street vendors in India stock its entire range of products, including its premium products like cookies, instant noodles, and soups, The Economic Times reported today. There are millions of such stalls across India, which currently offer just sachets of shampoo and detergents, as well as some snacks. [caption id=“attachment_156061” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP[/caption] Taking advantage of relationships it has built up with paanwallahs over the years through the cigarette business, ITC will help vendors improve the quality of their outlets, as well as train them to sell soaps, biscuits and noodles. The group, which is India’s largest tobacco maker, said it is tapping into its existing relationship with such outlets to push for change. ITC has already managed to get more than 1 million such outlets to stock the additional products, noting that many of them are located in prime localities in urban areas.