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Leading American diet food-maker Atkins will soon be hawking its weight-management products in the domestic market, a top company official said.

`Within the next three to six months you will see Atkins products here. We are trying to find the right distributor that can hawk our products and run our educational training system to begin with. Later on, we may look at opening Atkins Clinics,` Atkins Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and Asia, Greg Boucher told PTI here.

The USD 2.4-billion Denver-based Atkins Nutritionals Inc is a diet/healthy foods major specialises mostly in sugar-free products with its most popular brands are Advantage, Day Break, and Endulge. Atkins markets its wares in 16 countries.

Boucher also said the company would initially investing about Rs 2.4 crore in the country.

Calorie-free foods in the diet

On his distribution plan, he said the products will be sold at hypermarkets, pharmacies, fitness clubs etc.

`We are looking at pricing now and meeting regulatory compliances. We want to ensure that our products are over priced,` he said.

On the rationale for entering India, he said, `we have been looking at the market for about five years and now we are ready. Awareness about obesity and overweight issues is increasing here.`

Diet foods is a nascent market in the country and there are only a few in the market like Horlicks` snack bars like Nature Valley, Rite Bite, Nutri Bar etc.

Source: PTI
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