Oat cereal outpaces other healthy options in India, finds Nielsen

By Kacey Culliney,12-Jul-2013

Indian consumers have universally steered towards healthier breakfast options over the last decade and oat cereals have far outpaced other choices, Nielsen research shows.

India’s breakfast cereal market has soared by 38% over the last year and oats now constitute 26% of the Rs. 720 crore ($120m) sector, according the data from Nielsen in its recent report 'Oats are making waves at the breakfast table'. 

“Each part of India has its own unique breakfast habits, but communities across the country have universally steered toward healthy options over the last decade – and oats have been one of the most popular choices,” said report author and executive director of Nielsen India Dolly Jha.

Writing in the report, she said: “Not only has he adoption of oat cereal outpaced other healthy options in the last three years in the urban market, oats have immense potential on a national scale.”

‘Tremendous’ opportunity for oats

Oat consumption across India remains fairly low at 13% and is focused on certain areas, particularly the south but cities like Chennai and Chochin in South India have higher penetration ( 37% and 34% respectively) as they adopted the format earlier.

“The acceptance in these cities highlights tremendous opportunity for further penetration in the southern region,” wrote Jha.

However, these opportunities could be blocked by a significant and wide-spread lack of knowledge about oats, she added.

One-third of population not aware of oats

“Given the low penetration in India, the oats industry presents marketers with incredible opportunity. The first and simplest strategy should be to build awareness, as one-third of the population is not even familiar with the product,” she said.

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Artificial sweeteners' weight loss claims may be cause for concern, warns expert

By Nathan Gray 11-Jul-2013

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Current public health messages that call for a reduction in the intake of sugary foods and drinks should consider expanding recommendations to include all sweetened products, according to one expert's opinion.

The expert review and opinion piece published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests that while consumers and public health officials should be 'rightfully concerned' about the consequences of consuming high levels of sugar, for example from sugar-sweetened beverages - intakes of  diet drinks and other non-caloric, artificially sweetened foods and beverages may not be the healthy choice to manage weight that they appear.

Indeed, building on recommendations to slash the intake of added sugar products such as sugar sweetened beverages, Professor Susan Swithers of Purdue University, USA, warned that public health concerns and warnings may also need to be expanded "to advocate limiting the intake of all sweeteners, including no-calorie sweeteners and so-called diet soft drinks."

"Although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be problematic, that doesn't appear to be the case," she commented.

"Findings from a variety of studies show that routine consumption of diet sodas, even one per day, can be connected to higher likelihood of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure, in addition to contributing to weight gain."

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VKL to get $40m investment to focus fully on Indian QSR supply

By RJ Whitehead ,05-Jul-2013

Private equity investor India Value Fund Advisors has revealed it will invest US$40m to finance the next phase of growth of a domestic food ingredients company – the latest in a line of QSR suppliers to catch the eye of buyout firms.

The sum will be for an undisclosed stake in Vallabhdas Kanji Limited, which manufactures food ingredients and flavorings in India and the Middle East with a strong focus on quick-service restaurants and the processed food industry.

Changes in direction

Until this deal the flagship company of the Kanji Moorarji Group, VKL started operations in 1935 as a whole spice dealer and later expanded into the private label and food ingredients business.

In 2011, it sold off its bulk spices and private label businesses to Olam International in order to focus on valued-added food ingredients, and funds from the IVFA investment will be used to finance VKL’s plans to break entirely clear from its wholesale business.

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FSSAI forbids India from importing tahini sesame paste from USA and NZ

Tuesday, July 02, 2013 08:00 IST 
Abhitash Singh, Mumbai

Upon the receipt of an alert about the outbreak of salmonellosis linked to tahini sesame paste from Turkey, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked Indian importers not to

 import the paste from the United States 

and New Zealand.

The paste was collected from shipments arriving in the United States from Turkey in December 2012 for distribution by Krinos Foods LLC, Long Island, New York. Its traceback determined that it was a part of a consignment which arrived in the United States on October 12, 2012.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “A salmonella outbreak linked to tahini sesame paste distributed by Krinos Foods, NewYork has ended after sickening a total of 16 people and killing one of them.”

It added, “Krinos Foods recalled its tahini sesame paste for potential contamination with Salmonella and expanded the recall to include additional expiration dates on May 9, 2013. The recalled products have expiration dates ranging between January 1, 2014 and June 8, 2014 and between October 16, 2014 and March 15, 2015.”

Vinod Kotwal, Codex director, FSSAI, said, “Since sesame paste is also used in Indian cuisine and is being imported, we are sharing this information with all concerned. We have also asked Indian importers not to import the sesame paste till further notice.”

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