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Open sesame!

PHOTO: S. JAMES

Buoyant V.R. Muthu is full of innovative ideas

Unaware of his profile, if you simply hear him speak, you may be a tad puzzled about his real profession.

Sample this: He tells me that diseases of joint pains, psoriasis, asthma, teeth and gums, cracks in the heels have a common treatment and cure. He passionately reels out the concept of ‘oil pulling’ (an Ayurvedic therapy where one rinses one’s mouth with sesame oil) and underlines its importance in maintaining good health. You wonder if he has a medical degree.

Statistics follow. “If every individual in Tamil Nadu does oil pulling, it will straightaway open up a market of Rs.2,000 crores. And, capturing even 10 per cent of it is good enough.” Now, he sounds like a market analyst or strategist.

“When nobody initially believes in magic remedies, distribute the product free,” he states. Is he a philanthropist?

“We should be able to conquer the force of any disease with the force within us. Self-defence wins over the power of a disease.” The philosopher in him emerges.

By roping in popular Tamil film director Bhagyaraj and actor Jyothika for popularising his product, the Chairman of VVV & Sons Edible Oils Ltd., V.R.Muthu, ensured that people did not press the remote and switch channels when his commercials came on screen. “When you have good quality stuff, why not roar about it,” declares the 56 years old businessman. He is also a sought after guest speaker on time management and business/success mantra at various academic institutions across Tamil Nadu. V.R Muthu sells over 14,000 tonnes of oil and sits pretty over an empire worth Rs.240 crores.

“ One and a half million housewives vouch for the Idhayam brand of sesame (gingelly) oil,” smiles ‘Idhayam’ Muthu.

Muthu’s grandfather started the business of selling sesame oil from Virudhnagar in 1943. “ My grandfather struck gold selling sesame, coconut and ground nut oil with his brothers.”

Muthu’s father V.V.V. Rajendran founded the Idhayam group in 1986. A meritorious student who always obeyed his parents, Muthu floundered a bit when his father sent him to Bombay University for graduating in Commerce. “From a disciplined and protected life, I was suddenly exposed to a different world. But, in retrospect, those three years helped me grow up as a person .”

After completing three years in Chartered Accountancy later in Chennai, Muthu returned to his family and family business that was centred mainly in the two districts of Ramanathapuram and Virudhnagar.

“But I sensed an opportunity in the other untapped districts and went ahead with a door-to-door campaign with a 40 ml free sachet of our sediment-free sesame oil in other districts too.”

“There were many small-scale producers of sesame oil in small towns. In 1986, my father chose Idhayam as the brand name and we popularized it in the State.”

The advertisement blitzkrieg on television aimed at women, along with stress on quality, boosted the sales like never before. It even crossed borders serving the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe, the Gulf, Canada, USA, Australia and Moscow. “Wherever Tamils are, we are,” he smiles again. "If a product has to sell, it should be available and visible. Our strategy is based on this. It has worked wonders," says Muthu, adding that his company’s focus is on “small customers because they are in big numbers.”

“Our success comes from the high degree of quality consciousness. Our oil does not froth because it is thoroughly cleaned of chaff, stones, sand, splinters, dust, immature seeds. That is why we are the most expensive brand.” But, says Muthu, they have never compromised on quality. While Idhayam rules the roost in Chennai and several smaller cities across the State, the company has introduced “silent ads” in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Vizag, etc.

Muthu is enjoying his work and family consisting of two daughters, a son and three grandchildren. His wife, Malarvizhi, provides the best feedback he says. Muthu is involved in social welfare and medical schemes for aged couples and he concerns himself with providing education to the poor and orphaned children. The family also runs an orphanage, the Idhayam Rajendran residential school and Kamaraj College of Engineering & Technology in Madurai.

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