Chase for chill to lift summer-driven biz

Forecast spells demand for beverages, fans, air-conditioners

- Suneera Tandon

From makers of beverages to body washes and air-conditioners to deodorants, businesses are positioning themselves for a surge in sales, after the weather office's prediction of a blazing summer this year.

Mercury may stay above normal across most parts of the country from March to May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on 28 February. The country is also expected to witness more-than-usual heatwaves in many parts, following a February that was the hottest on record.

Since the covid outbreak, summer sales have grown in double digits, said Paritosh Ladhani, joint managing director of SLMG Beverages, which bottles beverages for Coca-Cola India. "This year, we are expecting a strong summer; it's also an early summer. We expect that we will grow in excess of 20% this season compared to a year ago," said Ladhani, whose company distributes beverages to 1.5 million retail outlets in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from its 11 bottling units.