Dalmia Continental Pvt. Ltd. (DCPL) is the flagship company of VN Dalmia, son of pioneer industrialist Ramkrishna Dalmia, founder of the Dalmia-Jain Group. In 2003, Dalmia Continental Private Limited launched Leonardo Olive Oil and has, since then, grown at 150% a year compounded annual growth. Today, Leonardo is the leading brand in its product segment and a pioneer in establishing the popularity, image and use of olive oil in India.
Leonardo Olive Oil is a brand owned by Dalmia Continental Private Limited and, therefore, the first Indian brand of olive oil. The oil is manufactured for Dalmia Continental Private Limited according to the highest quality standards by M/s Nicola Pantaleo in the Puglia province of Italy. Leonardo Olive Oil is available in 4 grades. Leonardo Gold and Leonardo Extra Virgin Olive Oil are highest-grade oils with perfect aroma and flavour. They are best suited for dressing, flavouring and condiments. Leonardo Pure Olive Oil is the intermediate grade oil most suitable for Western cuisine and body massage. Leonardo Olive Pomace Oil is the main cooking grade oil and, since it is flavourless, the one most suited for Indian cuisine.
Dalmia Continental Private Limited launched Leonardo Olive Oil with a view to develop the olive oil industry in India by promoting the use of olive oil for Indian cuisine as well as by making it increasingly affordable and by educating the consumer about olive oil. As the owners of a brand and not simply importers, Dalmia Continental Private Limited invests, educates, promotes, distributes and sells. Dalmia Continental Private Limited also pioneered product segmentation in the olive oil market and undertook to educate its consumers about the different varieties and usages of olive oil.
In September 2007, Dalmia Continental Private Limited launched Hudson Canola OilŪ, a heart-healthy edible oil, which is manufactured for Dalmia Continental Private Limited in the finest, most sophisticated facilities in the Prairie regions of western Canada. The Canola plant was first discovered in this region of Canada in the 1970s. Already, 50% of the vegetable oil consumed in Canada is Canola. In the US and Australia as well, Canola is the second most preferred oil. Canola is ideal for Indian cooking since it is a standard edible grade oil with neutral taste and flavour. It is also extremely healthy, with the lowest content of saturated fats amongst all oils, high levels of monounsaturated fats, antioxidants and Omega-3. Moreover, Canola is the lowest priced oil amongst heart-healthy oils.
In April 2009, DCPL launched Leonardo Olives, a range of green and black table olives in five different varieties: Queen Pitted, Queen Pimiento Stuffed, Hojiblanca Black Sliced, Hojiblanca Black Pitted and Manzanilla Pimiento Stuffed. Leonardo Olives are produced in Spain, the largest olive-growing country in the world. As always, DCPL was a trend-setter in launching Leonardo Olives, which is produced according to the most stringent quality standards. The packaging clearly states the type and size of the olives, which is a first for the Indian market.
In addition, Dalmia Continental Private Limited is also the exclusive distributor in India for Clausthaler Non-Alcoholic Beer and Grace Kennedy Coconut Water.
The Dalmia Group of companies came into existence in the early 1930s as the Dalmia-Jain Group. Founded by the late Ramkrishna Dalmia, the group's activities included banks and insurance, newspapers and publishing, aviation and railways, electric supply, collieries, a motor car company, biscuits, cement, chemicals, distilleries, dairy products, jute, paper, plywood, paints, refractories, sugar, textiles and others. Today, the Dalmia family and its relatives have interests, among others, in publishing, explosives, cement, magnesite, consumer electronics, sugar, olive oil, leisure resorts and hotels, refractories, castings, cigarettes, soda ash, textiles and services such as advertising, travel management, television programming, software development and finance. The total turnover of these companies exceeds US $ 3 billion.