Rating Rationale
April 12, 2024 | Mumbai
ADF Foods Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.48 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
Note: None of the Directors on CRISIL Ratings Limited’s Board are members of rating committee and thus do not participate in discussion or assignment of any ratings. The Board of Directors also does not discuss any ratings at its meetings.
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has reaffirmed its ‘CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1’ ratings on the bank loan facilities of ADF Foods Ltd (ADF; part of the ADF group).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the group’s established brands and position as an exporter of ethnic Indian foods, healthy operating efficiency and strong financial risk profile and liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to volatility in raw material prices and intense competition in the processed food segment.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of ADF; its subsidiaries, ADF Foods (India) Ltd and ADF Foods (UK) Ltd; and its step-down subsidiaries, ADF Holdings (USA) Ltd and ADF Foods (USA) Ltd. For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has consolidated the business and financial risk profiles of ADF, and its subsidiaries, which are strategically important to, and have a significant degree of operational integration with ADF. These companies are ADF Foods (India) Ltd, ADF Foods UK Ltd, ADF Holdings USA Ltd and Telluric Foods (India) Limited and its subsidiaries. CRISIL considers these entities as being strategic to Parent Ltd in view of their strong integration with Parent’s operations

 

Please refer Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established brands and position in the packaged foods business: The ADF group has diversified product profile and established brands, which include Camel (Middle East), Soul, Aeroplane, Ashoka, PJ’s and Nate’s (USA), and Truly Indian (the UK). The group has been exporting pickles and chutneys, frozen snacks, frozen vegetables and ready-to-eat meals for over three decades. It has established presence across over 55 countries. The company is focused on growing exports in North America, Europe, the UK, the Middle East and APAC markets. Supported by the same, the group’s operating income increased at compound annual growth rate of 16.4% over the three fiscals through 2023. Further, backed by well-established distributors and clientele leading to steady order flow, the company recorded turnover of around Rs 366 crore in the first nine months of fiscal 2024 and is estimated to close fiscal 2024 at Rs 500 crore. Steady demand, continuous research and the addition of new products shall aid in sustenance of healthy scale of operations.

 

  • Healthy operating margins:Operating margins have remained healthy at above 17.5% over the four fiscals through 2023 and continues to remain healthy at around 20% during the fiscal 2024 (Upto Dec 2023). Operating efficiency should remain robust, driven by healthy economies of scale and in-house manufacturing capabilities which provides competitive advantage over other peers. Return on capital employed ratio stood at 22.2% for fiscal 2023 and is estimated to remain at 20-22% in medium term.  

 

  • Strong financial risk profile: Networth was healthy at Rs 375.77 crore as on March 31, 2023 (estimated above Rs 430 crore in fiscal 2024). With no external debt, total outside liabilities to adjusted networth was below 0.5 time as on March 31, 2023. Driven by consistent cash accrual and low reliance on external debt for funding working capital requirement, capital structure will remain comfortable over the medium term. Debt protection metrics were healthy, as reflected in interest coverage ratio of 34.55 times in fiscal 2023 (estimated over 45 times in fiscal 2024). The financial risk profile will remain strong over the medium term with healthy accruals.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Exposure to intense competition: With bulk of the revenue coming from export (99%), the ADF group has to compete not only with packaged food manufacturers in other Asian countries but also with established domestic players such as ITC, MTR, Haldiram’s and Bikaji. Sustenance of revenue growth amid intense competition remains a key monitorable.

 

  • Vulnerability to volatility in raw material prices: Key raw materials include agriculture-based products, such as vegetables, mangoes, chillies, edible oil, salt and sugar. Raw material prices depend on inflation, monsoon and government policies; exposure to volatility in the prices is mitigated through price hikes. These price adjustments are carefully implemented, taking into account market dynamics and competitive positioning, allowing the company to improve its pricing power. Improvement in the operating margin will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.

Liquidity: Strong

Bank limit was utilised at 4% on average over the 12 months through November 2023. Expected net cash accrual of Rs 70-80 crore per fiscal will adequately cover yearly debt obligation of around Rs 3.5 crore in fiscal 2026, for the debt expected to be availed for the capex. The group has cash and equivalent of over Rs 170 crore as on September 30, 2023. It has capex plans of around Rs. 60-80 crores Over the medium term. The group has sufficient accrual and cash and equivalent to meet its capital expenditure (capex) and working capital requirement over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes the ADF group will continue to benefit from its established market position and strong financial risk profile.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward factors:

  • Steady revenue growth along with improvement in operating margin, resulting in cash accrual above Rs 75 crore
  • Efficient working capital management and sustenance of financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in revenue or fall in operating margin below 15% resulting in lower net cash accruals
  • Large, debt-funded capex or acquisition or dividend pay-out, or stretched working capital cycle weakening the financial risk profile and liquidity

About the Group

Incorporated in August 1990 in Mumbai, ADF manufactures and exports a range of ethnic Indian food items such as pickles, chutneys, pastes, sauces, ready-to-eat food, frozen and canned food to Europe, the US, Australia and the Gulf. ADF Foods UK Ltd and ADF Holdings USA Ltd are in the business of agency distribution of fast-moving consumer goods in the US and the UK.

 

The company has its corporate office located at Mumbai (Maharashtra) and is promoted by Mr. Bimal Thakkar and family. The manufacturing units are located at Nadiad, Gujarat and Nasik, Maharashtra. The company is listed on Bombay and National Stock Exchanges.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

Up to Dec 2023

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs.Crore

366.70

452.40

423.27

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs.Crore

48.75

55.86

48.52

PAT margin

%

13.29

12.35

11.5

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0

0

0.05

Interest coverage

Times

47.04

34.55

41.86

Any other information: Not Applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL Ratings` complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the 'Annexure - Details of Instrument' in this Rating Rationale.

CRISIL Ratings will disclose complexity level for all securities - including those that are yet to be placed - based on available information. The complexity level for instruments may be updated, where required, in the rating rationale published subsequent to the issuance of the instrument when details on such features are available.

For more details on the CRISIL Ratings` complexity levels please visit www.crisilratings.com. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.

Annexure - Details of instrument(s)

ISIN Name of the instrument Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs.Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Bank guarantee NA NA NA 6.37 NA CRISIL A1
NA Export packing credit NA NA NA 39.6 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Letter of credit NA NA NA 0.83 NA CRISIL A1
NA Proposed long-term bank loan facility NA NA NA 1.2 NA CRISIL A/Stable

Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated

Names of entities consolidated

Extent of consolidation

Rationale for consolidation

ADF Foods (India) Ltd

Full

Same business and common promoters

ADF Foods Ltd

Full

Same business and common promoters

ADF Foods UK Ltd

Full

Same business and common promoters

ADF Holdings USA Ltd

Full

Same business and common promoters

Telluric Foods (India) Limited and its subsidiaries

Full

Same business and common promoters

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2024 (History) 2023  2022  2021  Start of 2021
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 40.8 CRISIL A/Stable   -- 24-01-23 CRISIL A/Stable   -- 02-11-21 CRISIL A1 / CRISIL A/Stable CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable
      --   --   --   -- 27-08-21 CRISIL A1 / CRISIL A/Stable --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 7.2 CRISIL A1   -- 24-01-23 CRISIL A1   -- 02-11-21 CRISIL A1 CRISIL A2+
      --   --   --   -- 27-08-21 CRISIL A1 --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 1.1 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Bank Guarantee 5 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Bank Guarantee 0.27 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Export Packing Credit 15 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A/Stable
Export Packing Credit 9.6 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A/Stable
Export Packing Credit 15 State Bank of India CRISIL A/Stable
Letter of Credit 0.83 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 1.2 Not Applicable CRISIL A/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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