Marico Industries launches Saffola Gold

Company release, May 6, 2004

Mumbai

Marico Industries, a leading FMCG player, today announced the launch of a revolutionary formulation in edible oils. Saffola Gold, a blend of Ricebran oil and Kardi oil in the ratio 70:30, has dual benefits of lowering cholesterol and also food cooked in it absorbs less oil.

The formulation of Saffola Gold has been researched in Japan and is proven to be more effective in reducing cholesterol than other widely used edible oils. The combination of Kardi oil and Ricebran oil present in Saffola Gold is said to help lower cholesterol because of the high linoleic acid present in Kardi and anti oxidants like oryzanol present in Ricebran Oil. Lowering of cholesterol is known to reduce the risk of heart disease.

India is fast becoming the heart capital of the world with one out of every 4 adults in urban India being at risk for a heart problem. Harsh Mariwala "As an expert, Saffola has always advised consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, healthy diet and also going in for regular heart check-ups. Saffola Gold is undoubtedly the best ever version of your trusted Saffola. Years of research has gone into coming up with this formulation that promises the dual benefits of not only reducing cholesterol but also absorbing less oil, making food not only tasty but healthy".

Apart from reducing the 'bad' Cholesterol, Saffola Gold possesses other health benefits. The Kardi and Ricebran oil formulation of Saffola Gold is fortified with Vitamin E. Vitamin E is known to have a role in immunity. It also contains Losorb, which ensures that that food cooked in Gold absorbs less oil. Excess of oil in our food, is a major cause of increasing the blood cholesterol levels. Also Saffola Gold goes through physical refining process to ensure that the key cholesterol reducing nutrients like Oryzanol and tocotrienols are preserved.

According to Saugata Gupta, Head of Marketing, Marico Industries, "Consumers connect Saffola with heart care. Saffola Gold is the latest introduction in its efforts to come up with an offering best engineered to reduce cholesterol. The blend of the oil is what makes it unique. It has been internationally researched to be a very powerful combination for a healthy lifestyle".

Saffola Gold will be available in 3 different SKUs v.i.z 1 Litre pouch costing Rs 89, 2 litre jars costing Rs 178 and 5 litre Jars priced at Rs 449.

About Saffola:

The Saffola Healthy Heart Foundation was formed with an objective of educating people about Heart Care. Over the year the foundation has conducted numerous activities spanning Heart checkup camps, Health talks, Education programmes for bodies like the Police force, executives and underprivileged. The topic that the foundation addresses pertains to Heartcare interventions such as Exercise, Dietcare, stress management and timely diagnosis. With more than 50,000 members across India, SHHF has conducted its activities in collaboration with bodies like The Indian medical Association, NSPHERE, Escort Heart Institute, Apollo Hospital and Ruby Hospital has reached out to many lakhs of families.

For further information please contact:

Suhas Patel/Rajdeep Barooah

Perfect Relations

Tel: 2436 7155 / 2436 7943

Mobile: 9820520582 (Suhas)

9821464253 (Rajdeep)

Email: spatel@perfectrelations.com

rbarooah@perfectrelations.com