FOOD PROCESSING / MARKETING

UFC hopes juice will score a strike

PITSINEE JITPLEECHEEP

The Malaysian palm oil producer Lamsoon will start to expand its fruit juice business in Thailand this year after having added the Thai food and beverage maker The Universal Food Co (UFC) to its portfolio two years ago.

Ouychai Rangchaikul, vice-president for marketing at UFC, said that after freezing its marketing activities in the Thai market for almost eight years, the 38-year-old company would resume its investment in fruit juice this year.

In early January, it introduced Chooze, UFC's sister brand of ready-to-drink vegetable-fruit juice mixes, to capture the increasingly health-conscious market.

The company expects Chooze to be popular among younger consumers with contemporary lifestyles, including university students, while UFC juice aims to reach families and working people..

Apart from Chooze, Mr Ouychai said the company would launch its first UFC marketing campaign by forming a strategic alliance with Major Bowl in the 10-million-baht ''Major Bowl Hit & UFC Super Bingo Bowl'' campaign. The campaign will run until March 31.

Co-operating with Major Bowl, which has students and working people as its main customers, is expected to help UFC attract younger customers and make its brand more modern.

Apart from marketing campaigns, the company will also distribute its UFC fruit juice products at all Major Bowl locations, from April to the following March.

Artorn Techatantiwong, chief of bowling at Major Bowl Group Co, the sports entertainment unit of Major Cineplex Group Plc, said the business alliance with UFC will help enhance the satisfaction of its consumers amid tough competition.

''Our campaign will help consumers, who are more cautious about their spending, get more value with the same spending,'' Mr Artorn said.

The company expects the campaign to boost its sales by 10%. About 150,000 to 200,000 customers bowl at the 21 Major Bowl branches nationwide per year.

The company expects to earn 700 million baht in revenue next year, up from 600 million baht last year. To achieve its goal, the company plans to open six or seven Major Bowl Hit outlets next year in big cities such as Ubon Ratchathani, Chon Buri and Phitsanulok. The additional outlets will bring its total bowling lanes to 600 lanes, up from 500 last year.

Bangkok Post
Friday February 02, 2007