Reliance Consumer Products in talks to acquire Baidyanath’s Shunya drinks; to invest Rs 8,000 crore in beverages: Report

Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), the FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures, is in early-stage discussions to acquire a majority stake in Shunya, the premium zero-sugar fruit drink brand owned by Baidyanath Group’s Naturedge Beverages, according to executives familiar with the matter, quoted by Economic times. Launched in 2018 by Siddhesh Sharma, a third-generation heir of the Baidyanath Group, Naturedge Beverages offers functional, herb-based drinks under the Shunya label in flavours like ‘zesty apple’ and ‘zesty orange’. Baidyanath, a privately held company established in 1917, operates across ayurvedic medicines, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverages. If the deal goes through, it will mark Reliance’s fourth acquisition in the beverage space, following its purchase of Campa Cola, Sosyo, and RasKik. The company also markets the sports drink Spinner. “This move would allow Reliance to enter the healthy, functional, and ayurveda-based drink category,” said one of the executives. The acquisition aligns with Reliance’s strategy of picking up stakes in mid-sized consumer brands across categories such as beverages, confectionery, and condiments. Its broader portfolio now includes brands like Ravalgaon, Toffeeman, Lotus Chocolates, and Sil Foods. RCPL is aggressively expanding its footprint in the beverage space, planning investments of nearly ₹8,000 crore over the next 12–15 months to scale production capacity. The company is working to add around a dozen new greenfield and co-packing plants to compete with larger rivals like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Dabur, Tata Consumer, and several regional players. Executives noted that sales of low- and no-sugar drinks and juices doubled in 2024- the fastest annual growth yet, albeit on a smaller base. The rising demand, especially in urban India, is being driven by growing consumer preference for health-conscious and functional beverage options.