Sumeru launches India’s first Michelin-star chef curated frozen food range
- Published | 30 November 2018
The 30-year-old heritage brand of Innovative Foods Limited launched its signature ‘frozen gourmet meals in collaboration with Michelin star chef Alfred Prasad.
India: Frozen Food Company Sumeru has announced plans to grow its domestic market to 250 Crores in the next three years. The 30-year-old heritage brand of Innovative Foods Limited launched its signature ‘frozen gourmet meals in collaboration with Michelin star chef Alfred Prasad. This new venture will have a positive impact on the frozen food sector and on the consumer goods industry as a whole in the near future.
The range includes four products – millet khichdi, roasted chicken, shahi paneer and pepper chicken. Each dish is made from locally-sourced ingredients, with no added flavours, colours or preservatives.
Mithun Appaiah, CEO of Innovative foods, said, “We want to disrupt the way consumers perceive and purchase frozen food. Our association with a renowned chef Alfred Prasad, a first in the country within this space reiterates our commitment to bring to consumers new and better experiences in consuming their daily food.”
To which chef Alfred Prasad added, “The recipes follow my 3-H philosophy – Heritage, Health, and Happiness. This reflects in the ingredients we have chosen whether it is the usage of ancient grains of India like millets or following a healthier cooking process like roasting to unique packaging technology which ensures that nutrients and flavours are retained.”
Sumeru expanded into the frozen meal category in the last year by launching a range of products in the space such as paranthas, rolls, and kebabs, to cater to a growing health-conscious market across the ten cities. It plans to continue its focus on product innovation and R&D as a primary growth driver, besides strengthening its distribution network to 25,000 retail outlets. Sumeru has two manufacturing units in Kochi and one launched at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh earlier this year.
According to BlueWeave Consulting, frozen food is still a niche in the Indian market. FMCG companies are looking beyond traditional frozen foods and are experimenting with newer ready-to-eat products in an attempt to diversify and make themselves more appealing consumers for whom elaborate cooking is not always an option and prefer a quick heat-and-eat style. The frozen food industry, which started by offering basic frozen vegetables and fries, today offers a wide range of products, from fruits, vegetables and frozen meats to snacking and full meal options. Companies such as Sumeru Foods, ITC, and even Amul are trying to push the boundaries and also trying to convince consumers that frozen food is not less healthy than products that are touted as “fresh.” However, the Indian market is just thawing up to the frozen food business. Many consumers still have a mental block in accepting frozen products mainly because of their perception of the nutritional value.
According to an upcoming report by BlueWeave Consulting on “Global Frozen Food Market, By Product Type, By End User, By Region, Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends & forecast by 2018-2025”, the global frozen food market is expected to grow significantly with healthy CAGR. The demand for frozen food is driven mainly by the changing consumer preferences and taste in response to changing lifestyle. The adoption of a hectic lifestyle of working professional has propelled the significant demand for frozen food products. The growing inclination of ready-to-eat foods among this population in various parts of the world, especially in urban spaces, is increasing the global frozen food market.
Prominent manufacturers of frozen food are gradually advancing from the supply of raw materials for meeting their needs in compliance with the food quality and safety standards put in place. This is imparting a significant thrust to the market growth. In various emerging economies, rapid improvements in per capita incomes of people, coupled with constant changes in food habits, is augmenting the demand for frozen food.