Rating Rationale
July 10, 2018 | Mumbai
Harvest Gold Industries Private Limited
Rating continues on 'Watch Positive'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.10 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB+ (Continues on 'Rating Watch with Positive Implications') 
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL's rating on the bank facilities of Harvest Gold Industries Private Limited (HGIPL; part of Harvest Group) remain on 'Rating Watch with Positive Implications'.
 
The rating action follows the Harvest Groups intimation to CRISIL regarding dilution of the promoter holdings (Mr. Adil Hassan) from 100% to 35% to a Mexican conglomerate, Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV (rated S&P BBB/negative by S&P). The company shared this development with CRISIL during the management meeting. CRISIL believes that there is likely upward movement potential in the rating, however, clarification regarding criticality of Harvest Group to Grupo Bimbo and its future integration plan is still pending. CRISIL will continue to engage with the management to understand the detailed implications of the transaction on the credit risk profile of the Harvest group, and will remove the rating from watch and take a final rating action once it has more clarity on the same.
 
The rating reflects the group's established market position and brand in the bakery segment in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), and healthy financial risk profile, driven by efficient working capital management. These rating strengths are partially offset by moderate scale of operations, with geographical concentration risks in the competitive bakery products segment, and vulnerability of operating margin to raw material price volatility.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Ready Roti India Pvt Ltd (RRIPL) and HGIPL. This is because both the companies, collectively referred to as the Harvest Gold group, have a common management, and are in the same business. Furthermore, the entities use a common brand name, Harvest Gold. 

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position and brand in the bakery segment in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR):
The group has established the brand, Harvest Gold, in Delhi and NCR, over the years, enabling strong brand recall amid competition from big brands such as Britannia and Oven Fresh. The company started operations by manufacturing plain bread and has gradually diversified as indicated by its product portfolio comprising a variety of bakery products, such as wheat bread, brown bread, sandwich bread, pav, buns, sweet buns, rusk, kulcha, and pizza base. Thus, brand presence has been strengthened and relationship with retailers improved.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile:
The total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW) ratio was 0.7-1.0 times over the past three fiscals through fiscal 2017, because of efficient working capital management given the low reliance on working capital short-term debt. The debt protection metrics were also comfortable marked by interest coverage of 8.8 times and NCAAD of 0.73 times in fiscal 2017.
 
Weakness
* Moderate scale of operations, with geographical concentration risks in the competitive bakery products segment:
The bakery products segment is highly competitive with large players willing to sacrifice profitability to enhance their market share. The Harvest Gold group is a smaller player as compared with its peers such as Britannia Industries Ltd ('CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+') and Mrs.Bectors Food Specialities Limited  ('CRISIL A+/Stable/CRISIL A1'). Both these brands have a wider geographical presence and a diversified product base. The Harvest Gold group has a healthy brand presence in Delhi and NCR, but a limited presence in other parts of North India, resulting in risks related to geographical concentration such as market penetration by a competitor or new entrant, or change in consumption pattern of consumers in the region.
 
* Vulnerability of operating margin to raw material price volatility:
The bakery products industry is price sensitive due to little product differentiation. Hence, players have limited ability to pass on increases in prices of key raw materials (wheat, maida, and sugar) and freight cost. Individual players such as the Harvest group cannot pass on the increase to end-users completely, given the reluctance of large players to hike prices and fearing loss of market share. The operating margin in the past four fiscals has remained at 5.4%- 7.1% (5.4% in fiscal 2017). Although the margin is expected to be sustained over the medium term, it will remain sensitive to any increase in the prices of raw materials over the medium term because of the group's limited ability to immediately pass on such increases to customers.
About the Group

RRIPL was originally incorporated in 1998 as Taurus Bakery Machinery Pvt Ltd; the name was changed in 2002. The company has a bread-manufacturing plant in Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) with a capacity of 70,000 tonnes per annum. HGIPL, set up in 1991 by Mr Adil Hassan, manufactures bakery products, marketed under the Harvest Gold brand in the NCR. The product portfolio includes a variety of breads and bakery products. Recently 65% of the promoter shareholding was diluted and sold to a Mexican Entity called Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV. 

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2017 2016
Revenues Rs crore 303 300
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 4.04 7.82
PAT Margins % 1.30 2.60
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 0.20 0.32
Interest coverage Times 8.2 7.7

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity Date Issue Size
(Rs. Cr)
Rating Assigned 
with Outlook
NA Cash credit NA NA NA 1.50 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 8.50 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive
 
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  10.00  CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive  12-04-18  CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive      30-12-16  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  27-11-15  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  CRISIL BBB+/Stable 
                05-07-16  Suspended       
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 1.5 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive Cash Credit 1.5 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 8.5 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 8.5 CRISIL BBB+/Watch Positive
Total 10 -- Total 10 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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