Snacks and sweets in the country have taken a healthy twist with FSSAI's
Eat Right Movement gaining considerable importance during the pandemic adding a touch of immunity boosting ingredients.
Companies from Haldriram's, MTR, Bikanervala Foods, Anamika to Maakhan Bhog, Chhappan Bhog, Kipps Confectioners, Kaleva India, MKS Foods have begun to not just reduce sodium, sugars and saturated fats but add healthy ingredients such as whole grains, vegetables and micronutrients in its products. It is the same for children's foods as well with several new brands launching healthy products.
One such company is Lil' Goodness."Covid-19 has accelerated some of the health seeking trends, especially those driven by need to improve immunity and reduce unhealthy fat consumption. With families stuck at homes, whether in metros or in smaller towns, the snacking frequency for kids has also gone up. Lockdowns have led to lower physical activity, while calorie intake has increased. Since incomes are constrained, the average value of purchase has gone down," said Pariksha Rao, chief nutrition officer and co-founder, Lil’ Goodness.
There are multiple factors which need to be considered in today’s context
to solve the larger problem of affordable nutrition and snacking. There are
some good options for the 0-3 year age group category, but for the older
kids there are very few options, none at all maybe. The current options
that parents prefer are adult snacks which are used for kids- not the other
way around. Except for milk supplements, most of the products are designed nutritionally for adults, including the traditional namkeens. Are these the best options for kids? No. Can there be something which finds the balance between the taste profile and formats that kids love e.g. chocolates, noodles, chips, while bringing in essential vitamins and minerals? This is a real opportunity that exists.
Snacks are an essential part of a child’s every day diet. The mini meals
that they eat play a crucial role in their overall health. "Over the last
few years, kids snacking landscape has seen a number of changes. A snack is no longer just another bowl of chips or crackers, parents are now more attentive about what their kids consume in the name of snacks," said Aswani Chaitanya, CEO and co-founder, Timios.
Children today have access to packaged food more than ever. A quick stop at the supermarket can result in a number of snack packs that are mostly unhealthy. Currently, there are limited or hardly any options available in the category of healthy age-appropriate packaged food for children.
"Parents often find it difficult to buy trustworthy, wholesome, healthy and
guilt-free snacks that are suitable for children. This was the genesis for
the company. Building a brand for kids involves having a moral
responsibility to do everything right and hence, we believe in being
transparent right from the ingredients used all the way to marketing the
product in the ethical way," added Chaitanya.
Warning labels and limits on sugar, salt and fats in junk food can arrest
the alarming rise in childhood obesity in India, noted experts from AIIMS, Rishikesh; Indian Academy of Paediatrics.
Britannia 5050, India’s leading cracker biscuit, meanwhile, announced its
foray into Salty Snacks with the launch of ‘5050 Potazos’, the 50 Potato
chip 50 biscuit product. The product is a fusion product, which brings
together 2 exciting and loved snacking formats in the country- the potato
chip and the biscuit. The crunchy chatpata flavour of a potato chip
combined with the filling warmth of a biscuit, makes it a perfect entry
under the brand Britannia 50-50. Britannia 5050 Potazos is thin, crispy and delivers the familiar ‘masaledar’ flavours of a potato chip in a biscuit
format. The product has been made to satiate hunger as well as provide a
lip smacking snack experience. In a nationwide consumer survey undertaken by the company in the run up to the launch, the product was rated by consumers as the ‘best new product’ in the snacking space, with 90% consumers giving it a ‘Definitely buy’ rating.
Commenting on the new product launch, Vinay Subramanyam, VP, marketing, Britannia Industries, said, “For almost 30 years, Britannia 5050 has been the brand that has given consumers the best of two experiences in one delectable product. Whether it is our classic Sweet & Salt Biscuits or Maska Chaska, Britannia 50-50 knows best that it takes “two to tango”.
Britannia 50-50 Potazos is a terrific addition to the 50-50 brand and we
believe this product can source from both the biscuits market and the
salted snacks market, which are the largest two categories in food in the
country."
According to Prabhu Gandhikumar, co-founder, TABP Snacks and Beverages, Opportunities outsmart the challenges in this space in India. Packaged food is growing leaps and bounds in India. Movement of rural population is increasing and so is the dependency on packaged food. With an increase in disposable income, food processing is the right space to be in, for now and the future is bright.
Challenges like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic are a passing cloud.
"However, the concern is about securing the supply chain for a longer term.
This along with managing the supply chain like the logistics of
transporting farm fresh perishable produce to the processing unit, without
any pest attack or even during a natural or man-made catastrophe have
hurdles that need to be mitigated," said Gandhikumar.
Coming back to Lil' Goodness, a kids’ food and nutrition brand transforming how 100 mn kids in India snack- from junk to yummy and healthy. Lil' Goodness is positioned as the 'daily dose of Goodness' for kids and their families through its products which solve two major problems: First is nutritional deficiencies of Vit. B, C, D, Minerals: Zinc, Calcium, Iron, protein deficiency and excess of unhealthy fats and carbs. This affects at least 100 million kids in India. Second is fussy eating behaviour of kids- need variety, change and yummy options whereas parents want healthy.
Harshavardhan, CEO and co-founder, Lil’ Goodness, stated, We have 3 major product lines: Anytime savoury snacks (Multigrain puffs, veggie crackers): made with real veggies, supergrain teff, no trans-fat, no palm oil, no added colours or preservatives. The veggie crackers were launched in May 2020, the multigrain teff puffs were launched in March 2021. Sweet snacks: Prebiotic chocolates. Things you can add to your daily diet e.g. B12 Jaggery, teff grain, etc."
"All our products are designed to bring a daily dose of Goodness micro and macro nutrients through the snacks kids and their families eat. Prebiotic chocolates are the best performers in our category. The recently launched B12 jaggery is the fastest growing. In fact we have a pre-order queue for about 3 weeks, because we went out of stock selling out within 40 days of launch," said Pariksha Rao of Lil' Goodness, on a concluding note.
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“We have more work-from-home meal occasions than ever before,” she said. “There will be roughly 33 million lunch and breakfast occasions at home.”
