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Maiyas set to increase SKU range; Interested in contract manufacturing
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Monday, 22 September, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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fiogf49gjkf0d Maiyas Beverages and Foods is slated to augment its offering from the current 360 stock keeping units (SKU) to 390 with an addition of 30 products by March 2015. The company, which has also set its sights on new international markets, is also considering contract manufacturing.
The current range of 360 SKU is being seen as one which would respond swiftly to the consumer demand. The snacks, beverages, sweets and frozen foods are growth enablers. The food major is expected to introduce a slew of products in the ready-to-eat category covering rasgulla, sambar-idli and sambar-vada.
While rasgulla would be on the shelves from October 1, 2014, the sambar-idli and sambar-vada are under trial with the Indian Railways.
“If it is accepted, we would start supplying to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). After that we would plan to launch in the regular market,” said Rakesh Somayya, head, marketing and international sales, Maiyas Beverages and Foods.
The company went on to increase its competitiveness with gulab jamun and son papdi by competing with Haldirams.
“Initially, it was a challenge to change the consumer’s mindset to shift their consumption patterns from Haldirams to ours, but slowly there was a visible acceptance for our brand of gulab jamuns based on the taste and quality. Maiyas Gulab Jamuns are available in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and a few pockets of Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
As far as the response for ready-to-eat is concerned, Gujarati Khichdi and Mudde Saaru are superb. We have highlighted the health benefits. Mudde Saaru in our point-of-purchase (POP) material, and khichdi is depicted as convenience food,” he said.
The ready-to-drink versions of chikoo shake, banana shake, sugarcane juice, mango lassi, badam milk and cold filter coffee in cans are expected to enter the market by January 2015. However, its brand, Badam Burst, is a fast-moving ready-to-drink beverage.
Maiyas would make its first launches in the southern markets, and the positive response would drive the company to take its range to other parts of the country.
It has an extensive presence in the international arena covering the United States, Singapore, Australia and Japan, Nepal and the Middle-East.
Plans are underway to enter newer geographies, such as Canada, Dubai, South Korea, the Philippines and South Africa.
With contract manufacturing for food products gaining ground, Maiyas is also keen to grab a share of the market and is open for contracts in the space.
“There is a visible transformation in the ready-to-eat segment, with a shift ready- to-eat tray and bowl, which is seen as a convenient concept to suit the consumers on the move. Maiyas, too, is moving to garner a share in the category. In the ready-to-drink category, the company’s offerings are a first of its kind in the world,” said Somayya.
“A key challenge in the processed food market is the large presence of similar brands, and it is not easy to capture customers’ attention with an introduction of a variant under the same category,” he added.
Somayya stated that Maiyas, which intended to strike away the clutter, has developed traditional versions to suit palates of regions like its Mudde saaru for the natives of Karnataka and Gujarati Khichdi for Gujarat.
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