Diversified agri-business major EID Parry (India) Ltd is reshaping its consumer products portfolio by exiting low-margin bulk categories and strengthening its presence in premium food products such as jaggery and brown sugar, while accelerating digital and AI-led transformation to improve productivity and execution.
Outlining the company’s strategic priorities in the Annual Report 2026, EID Parry (India) Ltd CEO Muthu Murugappan said FY27 would be driven by a philosophy of “disciplined renewal”, with a strong emphasis on profitability, capital efficiency and strengthening the company’s core businesses.
Consumer business shifts to premium categories
Murugappan said the consumer products business underwent a comprehensive strategic review during the year, covering portfolio choices, distribution channels and the overall business model.
As part of the exercise, the company decided to exit lower-contribution bulk categories such as rice and pulses after evaluating market dynamics. Instead, it is focusing on value-added products including jaggery and brown sugar, where opportunities for premiumisation, brand differentiation and healthier margins are significantly stronger.
He noted that the jaggery market remains highly fragmented, with limited standardisation in quality and hygiene. EID Parry aims to differentiate itself through an end-to-end automated manufacturing process that delivers authenticated products with consistent quality and hygiene standards.
The company is also expanding its Karnataka jaggery facility to increase production capacity, positioning itself to benefit from rising demand for healthier food alternatives among consumers.
Nutraceuticals business eyes global recovery
In the nutraceuticals business, EID Parry focused on rebuilding growth in its key European and US markets through leadership and organisational restructuring at its US subsidiary, Valensa International.
The company also expanded selectively into emerging markets while entering new segments such as dermatology and hair health. Murugappan said innovation and science-led product development would remain central to strengthening the nutraceuticals portfolio.
Sugar, biofuel operations focus on efficiency
The sugar and biofuel business operated in a challenging environment marked by higher costs, uneven sugarcane availability and weak export conditions.
Murugappan said the company responded by intensifying cost management initiatives and improving execution across the integrated value chain. A major internal programme, Project Propel, was launched to improve commercial and manufacturing efficiency, enhance asset utilisation and strengthen operational discipline.
Alongside these measures, the company continued to work closely with farmers through agronomic initiatives aimed at improving long-term sustainability and resilience.
Capital allocation remains disciplined
Murugappan said disciplined capital deployment remained a key management priority throughout the year.
The company’s sugar and distillery businesses continued to account for nearly 77% of total revenue, while consumer products contributed around 20%, with co-generation and nutraceuticals forming smaller but strategically important businesses.
Rather than pursuing aggressive expansion, management focused on improving asset utilisation, strengthening working capital efficiency and enhancing cash generation.
This disciplined approach also led to the decision to exit the Parry Sugars & Refinery business after evaluating its operational challenges, structural viability and capital requirements. The move was aimed at preserving balance sheet strength and redeploying capital into businesses with stronger long-term growth prospects and better returns.
FY27 priorities
Looking ahead, Murugappan said EID Parry will continue to strengthen its core businesses while improving margins through tighter cost management, portfolio optimisation and channel strategies.
He added that improving working capital efficiency and cash flows would remain key priorities, alongside accelerating the company’s digital and artificial intelligence (AI)-led transformation to enable better decision-making, improve productivity and strengthen execution across business operations.