Future Ventures Ltd, an investment and business management firm modelled after Berkshire Hathway, has placed fresh bet on its existing portfolio company Clarks Future Footwear Ltd. After putting in Rs 2 crore in the firm last November, it has invested around Rs 1.25 crore afresh, the company has disclosed.
Clarks Future Footwear is a 50:50 joint venture between UK’s C&J Clark International Ltd and Future Ventures. It is into marketing and distribution of footwear in India under the brand Clarks.
After it went public early last year, Future Ventures has been putting in fresh money into its existing investee firms over the past few months.
Last November, it put in Rs 2 crore in Holii Accessories Pvt ltd, an equal-equity joint venture firm with Hidesign India Pvt Ltd. The JV is into designing and distributing fashion accessories such as luxury handbags, wallets and other leather products for women under the brand Holii.
In October 2011, it also put in Rs 25 crore each in Capital Foods Exports Pvt Ltd and Future Consumer Enterprises Pvt Ltd, through convertible debentures. Capital Foods is into processed food business and markets under the brand of Ching’s Secret, Smith & Jones and Kaeng Thai, among others. The product categories include instant noodles, spices and sauces, etc. On the other hand, Future Consumer is into FMCG products.
These investments came in the wake of similar moves by Future Ventures last year when it had become quite active in raising its holdings in existing portfolio firms, such as the designer, manufacturer and retailer of readymade garments Indus League and edutainment media firm Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd (ACK).