Food & Beverage News: F&B Specials - Food Ingredients, indispensable in the F&B sector

The Food Ingredients market in the country is showing robust growth. Factors driving the growth are awareness on new products, need to tap growing demand and wide range of products. The growth is supported by the increasing urbanisation and rising disposable income, the buying power of the new middle classes is increasingly being directed towards modern convenience food products.

According to Anand Rangachary, Director, Frost & Sullivan, " India is at the beginning of a tremendous growth phase and we expect to see this high growth continue over the next five years" There is immense opportunity for the various ingredient manufacturers. The food grade antioxidants is slated to grow at a CAGR of 16.3% by 2012".

Food ingredients include dried vegetables, dried fruit and edible nuts, essential oils and oleoresins, honey, herbs, natural colors and flavors, natural gums and resins, pulses, seeds, spices, sugars, vegetable oils and fats, vegetable saps and extracts. These are used in the production of a range of food and beverage products.

The primary strength of India in food ingredients market is its research capability. There is an increased focus on research and development which allows the Fi sector to comprehend and evolve innovative, quality flavours and fragrances rapidly in line with consumer taste

Currently, going by the demand in the industry, emulsifiers, lactose and lactose syrup, molasses, seaweed extracts, pectin and starches, tapioca, sago, arrowroot starch, rosin products, chickpeas and broad & horse beans. kidney beans, onions, tomatoes, garlic, carrots and olives. Vegetable saps and extracts, are showing good growth.

Leading companies in the space include Camlin Ltd, Griffith Labs, Vivimed Labs, Global Calcium India Pvt. Ltd, Duckworth Flavours, Sonorome, Vishaal Natural Food Products, Hima Food Additives, Dawn Foods & Flavours, to name a few.

Scene:
The Indian packaged food is valued at Rs 580 billion. The growing affluence and affordability offers plenty of opportunities for the food ingredients segment to grow.

Right now, the market in India holds immense potential for growth in food processing. This is despite the fact that there are serious challenges like getting the right qualified personnel and beating the infrastructure issues, particularly roads. The key drivers of the market have been the demand for ready-to-eat food products which are gaining popularity mainly because of rapid urbanisation pressures and the dual income households. Not only that Indian poultry, meat and sea food processors are now trying to move up the value chain instead of just exporting frozen blocks. Griffith Laboratories, global manufacturers of food ingredients, has the global know-ledge to support these processors to produce products for consumption in global markets, informed Sujesh Govindan, director, operations and finance, Griffith Laboratories Private Limited.

The growth in the beverages segment particularly juices in natural flavours and the concept of snack dusting -- the two trends would be future growth prospects for the flavour industry in India.

Trends:
The emerging trends are in innovation in products. There is a huge interest for healthy ingredients focusing on themes including weight management and functional food and drinks

Companies in the business
Camlin is a leader in the antioxidants market for the food sector. The two key products of the company, Toluene butylated hydroxyquinone (TBHQ) and Butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), find acceptance in the Indian as well as international markets.

Sonorome, a flavour and fragrance major in the global arena, has been able to succeed in the global market with its wide range of high quality products and a flexible marketing approach. Sonarome fragrances are created using only safe and effective ingredients like natural oils, resinoids, extracts and a variety of aroma materials. For the food and beverage sector, Sonarome provides quality flavours, emulsions, concentrates and seasoning for all applications which include biscuit and bakery products, beverage (aerated and non aerated) including alcoholic, confectionery and snack foods and savouries.

Duckworth Flavors has a range of 1,000 products in liquid flavours, emulfisers, dry mixes, spray dried flavours. The fastest growing sectors include pharmaceuticals and spirits markets. The other potential areas include the food sector where biscuits, snacks and beverages are showing impressive growth prospects as a result of changing customer tastes.

Global Calcium India Pvt. Ltd is known for its innovative range of "Organic Minerals". It offers a full range of products catering to the needs of the nutraceutical, food and beverage sectors. Under the umbrella brand GLO, products such as Globogluco, Glocitro and Glolacto which are some of the well-known inorganic mineral-based counterparts.

Jubilant Organosys Ltd has developed a novel variant of the pyridine molecule, which is used as a starting material for synthesis of vitamin. It improves the quality of meat protein and increases the weight of the chicken.

Vishaal Natural Food Products is engaged in manufacturing a wide range of food flavour and food additives.