East India Co is back, with Indian owner !

[sandeepdg]

MUMBAI: Over 400 years after it was first established, the East India Company has relaunched in a new avatar — a luxury goods brand.

At its peak, the company was responsible for 50% of global trade, employed a third of the British workforce and ruled much of India. Now, the brand will sell luxury gift sets, teas, coffees, jams and other goods inspired by the East India Company's history through its new e-commerce website. The site, and the company's flagship store in London, was launched on Independence Day.

Mumbai-born owner Sanjiv Mehta, 48, says he is just a trustee of a brand that he is taking through the next stage of its history. ''The winds are blowing eastwards and I see the East India Company as a brand tomorrow's India can build upon,'' he says.

"The world would be a very different place if there had been no East India Company," said Mehta, after the company launched its e-commerce site and flagship store in London on Independence Day.

Mehta said he is inviting fellow Indians to join him as custodians of the brand through investment and helping the business to grow in new areas. He believes the brand has not lost its power.

"The East India Company was the Google of its time. It controlled the world's navigation routes in the same way the online giant controls many information routes today. Its input on the world stage was massive," says Mehta. "Today, the East India Company is one of the most recognized brands in the world with over two billion people aware of its history."

In response to suggestions that aspects of the company's heritage, with its conquest of India, could mean the brand would be better confined to history, Mehta said: "One must have the ability to judge yesterday and learn from it. The East India Company had great pioneering spirit and that remains."

"Without the company, Britain would not have tea on its tables and in Mumbai and Bangalore, people would not be having jam on their toast for breakfast,'' pointed out Mehta. The brand's transformation from the 1600s may already be considerable, but there are some things Mehta doesn't want to change. He says he hopes to ''capitalize on and retain the brand's impeccable pedigree and enviable heritage''.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ack-with-Indian-owner/articleshow/6316784.cms

 

[sandeepdg]

I wished that this would happen, but selling luxury goods under this banner isn't what I expected !!

 

[thakur_ritesh]

I wished that this would happen, but selling luxury goods under this banner isn't what I expected !!

seriously what a name to cash on, f*** man no one ever thought of it all this time, this will have a huge brand recognition for sure, atleast in this part of the world, and who knows a brand loyalty in times to come, and above all its a fmcg line up. all in all not bad, and all this hype even before they are in india, hope they can match the hype with quality, content, service and a good distributor network.

 

[gogbot]

Will this actually be an Indian brand ?

Or will the UK based Indian business man , Cash in on the name. In UK alone.

I have no issue with the resurgence of the company , But i really feel the India in "east India company' in it's name should link back to India and not Britain

 

[SHASH2K2]

well Its a dream come true. company which ruled us and sucked Indian blood is now owned by an Indian .

 

[Yusuf]

I have a different take.

East India Company ceased to exist for India in 1857. It was the company which enslaved a fifth of the humanity and subjected it to brutal suppression for 200 years. How could it make a name in India again in a country it did so many horrendous crimes? How can people of India think its a matter to rejoice that now an Indian is heading this company and that people of India will readily accept this company? I cannot accept it. Call it if you will that i am living with the baggage of the past. But that is how it is.