LEADERS SPEAK
“Indian customers are looking for foods that can supplement their traditional eating habits” …observes Chitranjan Dar, CEO - Foods Division, ITC Ltd. During his stint in ITC, he has led several key assignments in sales & marketing, manufacturing, projects and supply chain management. Further, being at the helm of the Foods Division, he has taken the company to new heights. In an exclusive interview with Shivani Mody, the industry veteran shares his views on the processed food market and the future of Indian food industry.
Indian processed food industry vis-à-vis global market… Indians by habit prefer fresh food and home-cooked meals. Hence, readyto-eat foods have a relatively smaller market in India compared to other countries, resulting in less demand for the processed food industry. India’s contribution to the global exports is at a base level. Taking into account the potential of large and small players, the country holds bright prospects to cater to the global food market at large. To make this
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Modern Food Processing | July 2010
a possibility, there is need for proper infrastructure and internationally benchmarked technology and process. Also, the country needs to improve its reputation in terms of hygiene in food processing and this calls for investments. If these issues are addressed, the Indian food industry will be able to capture a major share of the export basket.
Emerging trends in the industry… The emerging trends in the food industry are centered on health