OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2012. NourishCo, the JV between Tata Global Beverages and PepsiCo India, today, announced plans that are focused on delivering healthy beverages for a healthier India. The company is set to disrupt the hydration category in India by delivering enhanced wellness through innovative and affordable ready-to-drink beverages. Science, technology and research forms the foundation of every product in the NourishCo portfolio, leveraging the strengths of Tata Global Beverages and PepsiCo India known for their pioneering offerings in the Indian market. In keeping with its vision of healthy beverages for a healthier India, NourishCo demonstrated commitment to its strategic focus with the launch of Tata Water Plus, India’s first nutrient water. The launch was marked by special video messages by Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, and Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo. They highlighted the need for advancement in the nutrition space and wished the JV the very best.

Tata Water Plus is the only water of its kind in India. Priced at Rs16 for a 750ml PET bottle, Tata Water Plus is nutritionally rich and goes beyond quenching thirst to promoting everyday good health. It looks and tastes like normal water but with the added goodness of nutrients that are bio-available. This means that these nutritional inputs are in a form that can be easily absorbed by the body. In its launch phase, Tata Water Plus will be available in two variants — zinc and chromium. These elements are known to strengthen immunity and improve overall health, respectively. Tamil Nadu will be the first market where the product will be rolled out, covering 20 towns such as Coimbatore, Salem and Madurai, amongst others. Developed in collaboration with international scientists and Indian nutrition experts by Tata Global Beverages, Tata Water Plus represents the larger mission of mitigating nutritional gaps in the average Indian.

Speaking at the launch, RK Krishna Kumar, vice chairman, Tata Global Beverages, said, “The launch of Tata Water Plus — India’s first nutrient water is a result of the Tata group’s commitment towards creating innovative products that meet consumer needs like never before. From introducing the desh ka namak, the country’s first packaged iodised salt, to launching the people’s car, Tata Nano, we are now happy to bring innovation to the world of hydration.  NourishCo, the joint venture with PepsiCo India, helps us leverage the trust invested in the Tata name and PepsiCo’s unique sales and distribution expertise. The launch of Tata Water Plus marks the beginning of an exhilarating journey aimed at redefining the water category in India. This launch is an important step in actualising Tata Global Beverages’ vision of creating innovative beverages that are good for you.”

Manu Anand, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo India region, added “At PepsiCo, performance with purpose means delivering sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet. We are passionate about rapidly expanding the healthier part of our portfolio and our joint venture with Tata Global Beverages, NourishCo, is a significant step in this direction. Tata Water Plus is not just a game-changing product but a commitment from two of the world’s most trusted companies to improve peoples’ quality of life. This unique offering by NourishCo is for everybody, developed keeping in mind the nutritional gaps in an average Indian’s diet."

Ashok Namboodiri, chief, marketing and sales, NourishCo Beverages, said, “NourishCo marks the commitment from two of the world’s most trusted companies to provide healthy and nutritious hydration products. Water, being essential, provides an opportunity for hydration combined with nutrition as we are doing through Tata Water Plus. Designed specifically for the Indian consumer, the company has built an expansive pipeline of innovations that will redefine the hydration category. With the launch of this product, it is our aim to expand into an enhanced water portfolio on the platform of health and wellness for the common man."

NourishCo will be keenly focused on enhancing the hydration category in India. Besides Tata Water Plus, the NourishCo portfolio includes Tata Gluco Plus, and Himalayan natural mineral water. Tata Gluco Plus is a glucose-based, lemon-flavoured drink in a unique cup format that provides instant energy to consumers. It offers the benefit of glucose energy, mineral salts and iron that provide instant refreshment and recharge. Himalayan natural drinking water is nurtured and enriched by nature, and is an internationally accepted quality natural mineral water from India, endowed with vital organic minerals. The group has further built an expansive pipeline of innovations that will be used to fuel growth and create newer hydration solutions.