Yardley, Wipro's iconic brand and among the oldest brands in the world, recorded a 100 per cent growth during Q1 of 2011-12. “We doubled our sales of Yardley during Q1 of 2011-12 and Yardley is now not restricted to Class I towns and has reached rural markets,” said Mr Vineet Agrawal, President, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting.

Recording an 18 per cent year-on-year growth, WCCL, the FMCG arm of software services firm Wipro Ltd, posted revenues of Rs 755 crore during the first quarter of the current fiscal. This is about nine per cent of Wipro's overall revenues for the period. “We have done reasonably well in all three of our businesses, the India FMCG industry grew by 21 per cent, the institutional business by 15 per cent and international business by 40 per cent,” said Mr Agrawal. The company's recent acquisition of soap brand Aramusk (from Mumbai-based VVF Ltd) will strengthen the premium soap category, he added.

Household business

WCCL's India household business was driven largely by sales of Santoor, Yardley, Glucovita (which has now been launched across the country) and LED lighting.

The company's thrust on the LED business has paid off with Wipro now having lit 60 per cent of the platinum-rated green buildings in the country.

The premier furniture business grew by 23 per cent and the company's order books ‘looking strong,' he said. On a cumulative basis, the company has sold 3.5 lakh chairs.

With commodity prices stabilising, Mr Agrawal does not foresee a price increase on FMCG products for the next few months.

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