History of ITC Group

History of ITC Group

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ITC Limited is a multi-industry company, which began its journey in 1910 with a single brand. ITC full form, Indian Tobacco Company Limited formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Company of India Limited. Later, in 1974, India Tobacco Company Limited was abbreviated as I.T.C Ltd and as of now it stands for just 'ITC Limited'. Read on to learn more about ITC Limited, ITC product list, ITC owner, the history of ITC company, ITC Share Price, ITC Dividend, ITC Share Price History, ITC PE Ratio, and more in detail.

All you need to know about ITC Company

Below is detailed information about ITC Limited, including the year of establishment, ITC Founder, Chairman & MD, products, brands, and more.

Year Of Establishment

1910

ITC Founder

British-owned company registered in Kolkata

Headquarters

Virginia House, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Chairman & MD

Sanjiv Puri (Chairman & MD)

Company

Public

Industry

Conglomerate

Products

Consumer goods, Hotels, Paperboards, Packaging, Agribusiness, IT, Apparel, Education, Cigarettes

Brands

Classmate, Sunfeast, Classic, Aashirvaad, Wills Navy Cut, Gold Flake, Fiama Di Wills, Savlon

Market Capitalization

Over ₹4,38,601Cr approx.

Revenue

₹79,568 crore (US$9.5 billion) (2024)

Operating Income

₹27,147 crore (US$3.3 billion) (2024)

Net Income

₹20,751 crore (US$2.5 billion) (2024)

Total Assets

₹91,826 crore (US$11 billion) (2024)

Total Equity

₹74,890 crore (US$9.0 billion) (2024)

No. Of Employees

33,824 (2023)

Number Of Countries Present In

90 Countries (6 million retail outlets) and 60 Locations in India

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Table of Contents

  1. All you need to know about ITC Company
  2. Timeline: History of ITC Company

Timeline: History of ITC Company

1910: On August 24th, ITC was established and founded as a Private Limited Company Imperial Tobacco Co.

1953:  ITC acquires the manufacturing business of Tobacco Manufacturers (India) Ltd.

1954: On Oct 27th, ITC was converted into a Public Limited Company.

1970: In May, ITC changed its name from the Imperial Tobacco Co. of India Ltd. to India Tobacco Co. Ltd.

1972: In October, ITC entered the hotel business.

1973: ITC received the government's approval to set up three processing plants.

1974:  On April 1st, ITC's name was again changed to ITC Ltd with no acronyms.

1975: ITC acquired the India Leaf Tobacco Development Co. Ltd’s net asset in India.

1979: ITC’s chain of hotels’ name was renamed from "Welcome Hotels" to "Welcomgroup".

1983: Under a joint agreement between ITC and Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation, a new company was incorporated under Gujarat Hotels. A total of 144-room hotels at Vadodara known as Welcomegroup Vadodara was set up.

1986: A joint venture agreement was signed between ITC and MP Audyogik Vikas Nigam to set up four hotels over the next five years.

1987: ITC introduced two new brands- Wills Flake Premium Filter and Scissors Filter. It also acquired Nedovs Hotel, Srinagar, on lease.

1988: ITC launched different varieties of oilseeds under the brand name "ADARSH" and cooking oil under "SUNDROP".

1990: ITC introduced refined mustard oil under the brand name "REAL GOLD”.

1993: ITC successfully launched Hero and Classic Milds brand Cigarettes.

1995: ITC introduced the capstan Menthol filter, capstan standard, and Bristo standard and re-designed Gold Flake Kings and Berkley Filter. It also introduced Gold Flake Lights in Kingsize into the test markets.

1996: ITC launched Classic Ultra Milds and Wills Natural Lights brands.

1997: ITC Classic Finance Ltd. was signed with ICICI Ltd.

1998: ITC had nearly 105 subsidiaries involved in various kinds of operations.

2000: Under the Packaging and Printing Division, the Lifestyle Retailing Business Division was set up. It also launched Wills Sport, a full range of internationally styled premium wear for men and women.

2003:

  •  On February, 21st, 2003, ITC Ltd's Spriha brand of natural incense sticks (Agarbathis) manufactured by Cottage Industries was launched.
  •  On April 4th, ITC introduced salt in the staple segment, which is the second offering from ITC Foods' staple business under the brand name of 'Aashirvaad'.
  • ITC also unveiled a new brand of agarbattis.

2008: ITC launched eco-friendly "Paperkraft Premium Business Paper".

2010:

  • ITC thrive into the ₹1,700-crore fairness cream market.
  •  The Indian cigarette industry attracts international brands. Resultant, one of India's largest private sector companies and the most significant domestic cigarette manufacturer, ITC entered the cigars business in India.

2011:

  •  Mr. Y C Deveshwar, Chairman of the ITC Ltd. received Padma Bhushan.
  •  ITC launched renowned brands like Classmate Notebooks and John Players.

2012: ITC’s leading personal care brand, announced the launch of Vivel, its unique Skin Nourishing Range of Soaps.

2014:

  • ITC was recognized as India's most admired company replacing TCS.
  • ITC entered the e-cigarette business.
  •  ITC Hotels launched one of the largest ever foreign investments in Colombo.

2017: ITC contributes to achieving Swachh Bharat through initiatives.

2022: On March, 31st, 2022, ITC was ranked as one of the Most Profitable FMCG companies in India with a Gross Sales Value of ₹ 90,104 crores and Net Profit of ₹ 15,058 crores

List of ITC Businesses

BusinessBrands
Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Bingo, Kitchens of India, B Natural, Fabelle, Sunbean, ITC Master Chef, Farmland, Fiama, Vivel, Savlon, Engage, Dermafique, Nimyle, Classmate, Paperkraft, Wills Navy Cut
HotelsITC Hotels, Welcomhotel, Fortune Hotels, WelcomHeritage
Paperboards and PackagingITC Paperboards, ITC Packaging, ITC Printing
Agri-BusinessWheat, Rice, Pulses, Spices, Coffee, Soya, Marine Products
Information TechnologyITC Infotech

Top Companies Owned by ITC Company

Company NameFoundedFounder and CEOExperience
ITC HOTELS1975Mr. Anil ChadhaLuxury hospitality
ITC Foods2001Mr. Hemant MalikPackaged foods
ITC Infotech2000Mr. Sudip SinghGlobal IT services
ITC Agri-Business1970Mr. S Ganesh KumarAgribusiness sector
ITC Paperboards1979Mr. Vadiraj KulkarniQuality paperboards
ITC Packaging1982Mr. SN VenkataramanInnovative packaging solutions

ITC Limited Subsidiaries

Principal Subsidiaries of ITC Ltd:

Company NameIndustryOverviewBrands
ITC InfotechTechnologyITC Infotech offers a range of services, including software creation, IT consulting, and digital transformation.-
ITC Hotels LimitedHospitalityITC Hotels Limited is known for exceptional hospitality experiences offered under brands such as ITC Hotels, WelcomHotels, Fortune Hotels, and WelcomHeritage.ITC Hotels, WelcomHotels, Fortune Hotels, and WelcomHeritage.
ITC LimitedTobacco and Cigarettes, FMCGITC Limited manufactures and markets cigarettes. It also offers a wide range of product care, packaged foods, beverages, and more under FMCG sector.

Classic, Gold Flake, and Navy Cut

Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, and Bingo

ITC Agri Business DivisionAgribusinessITC Agri Business Division provides technical assistance, training, and marketing.e-Choupal
ITC Paperboards and Specialty PapersPaperboards and PackagingITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers provide high-quality paperboard including packaging boards, graphic boards, and specialty papers.-
ITC Foods DivisionPackaged FoodsITC Foods Division offers products such as biscuits, snacks, noodles, ready-to-eat meals, beverages, and dairy products.Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Bingo, and Yippee
ITC Life Sciences and TechnologyLife Sciences and Technology SolutionsITC Life Sciences and Technology provides skin care, oral care, hand hygiene, and wellness products. 
ITC RetailingRetailITC Retailing offers products across categories such as personal care, home care, food, beverages, and apparel. 
ITC Packaging and Printing DivisionPackaging and PrintingITC Packaging and Printing Division caters packaging needs of various industries, including FMCG, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals. 
ITC WellnessITC WellnessITC Wellness provides products related to nutraceuticals, health supplements, and functional foods. 
ITC e-ChoupalDigital Agricultural ServicesITC e-Choupal provides real-time agricultural information, access to quality inputs, fair market prices, and services, 
ITC International Business Division  International BusinessITC International Business division caters to the specific requirements and preferences of different regions. 

Conclusion
With its diverse business portfolio across numerous industries, ITC Limited has a significant impact on the Indian Market. It offers services in industries such as FMCG, Hotels, Packaging, Paperboards, Specialty Papers, and Agri-Business companies. The Kolkata-based company is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE). The wide range of products and brands and constant emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and social duty make it a great option for investors. Before investing, investors must get a brief idea about ITC Share PriceITC DividendITC Share Price HistoryITC PE Ratio.

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FAQs on the History of ITC Group

ITC group is a public company. There is no single owner of the company. Currently, Sanjiv Puri is the Chairman & MD of ITC Group.

The full form of ITC is Indian Tobacco Company Limited formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Company of India Limited. Later, in 1974, India Tobacco Company Limited was abbreviated as I.T.C Ltd and as of now it stands for just 'ITC Limited'.

No, ITC is not owned by Tata. The majority of share of ITC Limited, approximately 29.4% is owned by British American Tobacco Plc.

There are various brands under ITC such as Gold Flake, Wills Navy Cut, Classic, Aahirvaad, Savlon, Fiama Di Wills, Classmate, Sunfeast, and many more.

You must consider all the aspects and understand how the company has performed in the past to decide whether to buy an ITC share or not. You must check the ITC share price history, ITC PE ratio and other aspects as well.