Rasna founder Areez Khambatta dead

Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta, the founding chairman of the popular drink Rasna, has passed away in Ahmedabad due to a cardiac arrest, the company said on Monday. The 85-year-old industrialist, who was suffering from a prolonged illness, died on November 19. He is survived by his wife Persis, and three children. “With profound sorrow and grief, we announce the sad passing away of Areez Khambatta - the founder chairman of Rasna Group... to his heavenly abode on November 19, 2022,” the company said in a statement.

NEW DELHI: Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta, 85, the founder and chairman of Rasna Group, died on 19 November, the firm said in a statement on Monday.

In 1976, Khambatta established the popular orangeflavoured beverage brand , which went on to become a household name by the early 1980s. Subsequently, the birth of the Rasna Girl became an instant hit with its iconic “I love you, Rasna” tagline.

Rasna’s popularity was due to its value-for-money offering targeting the pricesensitive Indian consumer. Khambatta, a professional flavourist, sold the soft drink concentrates for ₹5 per pack, which could serve up to 32 glasses of drinks, and was a favourite among India’s middle-class families. The Ahmedabad-based firm now has a diversified portfolio of spreads, beverage concentrates, softdrinks, and energy drinks, seeling across over 60 countries.

It has nine manufacturing plants, and a distribution network with 26 depots in India, besides 200 superstockists and 5,000 stockists. Its has a network of 1.6 million outlets.

For years, Rasna competed with the likes of Cocacola and Pepsi.

However, a shift in consumption habits and the dominance of Pepsi, Sprite, Thums Up and Coca Cola, have gradually dimmed the prospects of soft-drink concentrate as a category. However, it is still loved by children.it continues to be a family-owned business.

Khambatta is survived by wife Persis, children Piruz, Delna and Ruzan, besides grandchildren Arzeen, Arzad, Avan, Areez, Firoza and Arnavaz.

“It would not be out of place to say that Khambatta started India’s original startup by creating the world famous Rasna brand, which even to this day quenches the thirst of millions at an affordable price of ₹140 offering fruits, vitamins and nutrient supplements. “