Water Wonder

"Like all those who live by the riverside, we love as also fear the water,” says Behram Mehta, the Ahmedabad based entrepreneur who beginning last year has introduced Aava, bottled natural mineral water sourced from the Aravalli mountain range. "It’s because of our affinity to water that Aava has come into our lives. It’s like a gift from God,” believes Mehta who is convinced that it is divine blessing that has brought him this business opportunity in the middle of his life. He refers to the fareshta performed at his house every year on Avan mah, Avan roz, a practice introduced by his mother Perin and continued to this day by his wife Tina.

The rest of the world may associate water with the color blue. "But we have a green image for we are a genuinely environmentally friendly company,” says Mehta. "Our raw water is as good as the finished water.” Unlike other packaged bottles sold in the market they neither have to ozonate their water for longer shelf life nor demineralize it nor resort to reverse osmosis which causes undue water wastage whilst purifying it. Being rich in natural supplements like calcium, magnesium it is advised as a health supplement for those suffering from osteoporosis, arthritis, cataracts and is believed to be good for the heart, the nervous system, the skeletal system ailments, according to their publicity handouts.

Currently the airline Go Air, where the catering is managed by Ambassador Skychef, serves Aava water. Their tender is awaiting clearance by Air India, further states the optimistic owner. From 60,000 bottles of Aava manufactured in a day, Mehta hopes to see the figure double by March 2007. This does not include their 20 liter jars, Aava being the only company in the natural mineral water segment with the necessary licence to market their product in large sized jars.

When it was formally launched by the chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi in October last year it was pointed out that Aava is the first natural mineral water licensed by the Bureau of Indian Standards outside the Himalayan range. There are only seven licences issued in this segment, five being in Himachal Pradesh and one in Uttaranchal.

The hierarchy of drinking water as formulated by Aava promoters starts with natural mineral water like Aava at the top, followed by municipal water purified through home filtration process like Aquaguard or Zero-B, packaged drinking water like Aquafina, Kinley, Bisleri, Bailey, Kingfisher (treated through chemicals, UV rays, etc), municipal tap water and at the lowest rung is the ground well water. "All packaged drinking water is not mineral water and definitely not natural mineral water…Say no to pesticides, chemicals and UV rays, say yes to health and life, say yes to Aava,” asserts their advertisement.

During Navratri (the nine nights preceding Dassera) Aava was planning to be a big sponsor because they were expecting a rise in sales, realizing that water consumption invariably tends to be high with the continuous dancing. Considering that the bottled drinking water industry is witnessing a robust growth rate of 35-40 percent per annum in India, Mehta sees good prospects for his water venture.

Presently 60 percent of the Aava production is directed to the Gujarat market. In May Aava was introduced to the South Bombay market and by Diwali it hoped to cover the western and eastern suburbs from Borivli to Mulund. By mid-November it was expecting to refresh consumers in Poona, the hill stations of Maharashtra, Aurangabad, Nasik, Goa and Bangalore. The north they will target later because their competitor Himalayan has a strong base in this region with a nearly 85 percent hold on the market. Just as consumers are interested in sampling the Aava products sold in one liter bottles fitted with a green glass and 750 ml sports bottles with the popular pull-push caps, their marketing strategist Veeraal Mehta has been steadily expanding the market by educating the consumer on differences between bottled water and natural mineral water.

Clockwise from left: At the launch of Aava, Narendra Modi and Behram Mehta in the foreground; children Shiroy and Avanti; Behram and Tina Mehta; award-winning garden; parents Perin and Rustomji Mehta

Marketing Aava as the "educated people’s water,” Veeraal Mehta of Trader’s Inn repute notes, "I am going to make sure that it becomes the number one brand in India.” Convinced that "there is no better water in the world than Aava,” Mehta who was previously marketing Apollinaris sparkling water, a famous brand in Europe adds, "I want Aava to be available for the middle class as also the rich class.” Their next campaign "Penny wise, pound foolish” shows the consumer that if he can spend Rs 500-5,000 a month on mobile bills and hot drinks, surely he can spend Rs 350 on good, healthy water for himself.

With several national and international certificates to its credit, Aava is placed in a different league as it is devoid of pesticides and chemicals found in other popular, packaged drinking water brands, notes their promotional literature. As compared to other packaged drinking water which could be sourced from anywhere, Aava takes pride in announcing that it is obtained directly from protected natural sources (aquifer or underground spring which is not exposed to any kind of contamination). It is sourced from a site that is untouched by industrial or domestic waste pollution and hence they feel obliged to ensure that none of the machinery used in the bottling of Aava produces any kind of pollution. If any amount of Aava, however negligible is not bottled, it is immediately put to agricultural purposes. In collaboration with the state government of Gujarat, Aava has also contributed towards the construction of a check-dam in a tribal area.

Being naturally pure, it is not put through any chemical processes which could upset its natural mineral composition, thus ensuring it is a healthy and safe drink. Not only does Aava claim to be the first in India to introduce a fully automatic, washable, hygienic and air-conditioned water plant, untouched by human hands at all points, its water is put through 77 different tests and filtration procedures before being bottled to ensure that it is free from harmful chemicals and microbiological organisms. "Don’t risk your health…70 percent of you is water…80 percent of your brain is water…” Aava impresses on the consumer.

Just as he attributes Aava’s success to the support he got from Tina and his parents as also the marketing strategy of Veeraal Mehta, Behram Mehta is equally appreciative of Persis Bilimoria (regional director of Cobra Indian Beer Private Limited and CEO of Earthsoul India Private Limited) who "single-handedly put me in touch with the right people and advised me not to undersell; not to succumb; convincing me it’s a Parsi brand, don’t let it go out of your hand” when international brands showed an interest in his product.

Parsis in Gujarat are "very visible, occupying a preeminent position in society. It’s fashionable to be seen with a Parsi,” points out 46-year-old Mehta referring to the preference they are given, "queue maa aagal javaa dé … Because I’m a Parsi I’m given a preference in job, business…If there is an option between a Parsi and a non-Parsi, the general feeling is ‘Parsi ko dé do…Chori nahi karé­ga, dhandha mé galat nahi…If there is royalty in India, it’s the Parsis who enjoy it… That’s the greatness of India. We are preferred citizens…”

The future for Parsi entrepreneurship is bright, observes Mehta stating, "The new wave of liberalization has excited others to join. They are bringing home success stories. Parsi entrepreneurship will survive until people like Persis Bilimoria survive. If he is in the Rajya Sabha he would be the biggest asset to the community…”

Citing his own case Mehta recounted how business acumen has been running in the family for the last 100 years: "My dada (paternal grandfather, Kaikhusroo Maneckji Mehta) was the first man in Gujarat to deliver construction lime water to homes. Half of Ahmedabad was built with ‘Kaikhusroo no chuno.’ In the mid 1980s when sale of cement was liberalized in the market, the reputed cement company "ACC asked my grandfather to endorse and promote their cement,” he recalls. Behram’s father Rustomji, continued with this business until 1993 when they closed down.

After completing his commerce graduation from H. L. Commerce College, Behram worked as a sales executive with Godrej for two-and-a-half years under Bhaskar Bhat who is presently managing director of Titan Industries. To start his first granite tiling plant in 1983 he asked the Bank of India for a loan and as per the terms of the loan he could either pursue a business or continue with service so he resigned from Godrej to start his quarry business in north Gujarat. At one time there was a great demand for South Indian granite and Aravalli granite. While Behram focuses on expanding Aava which was started with an investment of Rs 1.5 crore in plant, machinery, land and other fixed assets, brother Pourus overlooks the quarry business. Their stone quarry business ­venture started under the banner of Sheelpe Enterprises, sheelpe in Gujarati, meaning an artisan. Tina is ­dedi­cated to looking after the award-winning gardens on their prime property and developing the beautiful coconut lagoon on their site, notes Behram. Their 16-year-old son Shiroy is pursuing his studies in computer security engineering while 13-year-old daughter Avanti is studying at Mt Carmel School in Ahmedabad.

Valuing a mother’s upbringing, Mehta is convinced that as long as one of the marriage partners is a Parsi, the Zoroastrian religion will be carried forward to the next generation, in whatever form. "Parsis only understand one thing — law. The rule of law and order delivered by court,” observes Mehta. If a court decides in favor of accepting into the faith children of Parsi mothers and non-Parsi fathers, "the problem will be over; the Parsis will be saved…When you live with someone you rub off on each other. Blood alone doesn’t matter.” Originally Mehta stayed in Shahpur, a riot-prone area of Ahmedabad, and as he candidly confesses, "jévi saath, tévi sangath (your character is molded by the company you keep). I was like a gutter rat.” At the same time he notes, "I’m against conversion and against breaking any promises given to Jadi Rana.” He’s in favor of continuing with dakhmenashini if vultures can be rejuvenated. Otherwise burial may be the next best option for a community that worships the natural elements, he states.

The functioning of the Parsi Panchayat "scares everybody away,” Mehta notes tactfully and relates how Narendra Modi who was otherwise supportive of Parsis and their efforts to make Udvada a heritage site has now been disillusioned with the infighting and controversies.

Referring to his practice of observing chopri pujan (consecrating the books of accounts) as per the custom in Gujarat, and celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi (when many in Maharashtra pray before the idol of Ganpati) at his inlaws’ home in Bombay, Mehta mentions, "We are what we are because we are Zoroastrians. Some day I would like to write a book on the everlasting love story between India and the Parsis; where refugees are treated like royalty.”