Food production in India suffers from fragmented systems and inefficient supply chains. Today’s Indian consumer is super conscious about their food choices; they are hesitant to procure groceries unnecessarily and realise the futility of 50 unnecessary trips to the supermarket. This used to be a bad habit pre-pandemic.
Portion Control
The modern consumer in India has a unique need, portion control. As a food start-up, you can tap into the newest consumer need for portion control by offering bite sized menu items.
‘Adrish’ is an Indian start-up which tapped into this consumer need a while back. They are an organic store riding on the ‘zero waste’ concept. Adrish recently opened its first outlet in Delhi.
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Today’s consumer wants and needs to know where their food is coming from, and how it is sourced.
Consumers Need to Know Their Food Source
Today’s consumer wants and needs to know where their food is coming from and how it’s sourced. As a start-up, you can offer healthy products and services. By being transparent on how your food is being grown, raised, and sourced, you can fulfil this new consumer need and be perceived as a trustworthy food start-up.
Focus on Sustainability
The next consumer need is increased focus on sustainability in the food business. As a food start-up, you can trigger healthy eating by creating a portfolio of products and services that organically source, process, and present sustainable food items leaving behind minimal environmental footprint. And by being transparent with this process, you are automatically elevated in the eyes of the consumer.
Build Your Brand on The Foundations of Eco-conscious Farming
The consumer need currently is to engage with environmental-friendly brands. Think about growing your own produce and if you do, adopt eco-conscious harvesting methods. With this organic foundation in place, your consumers can see your contribution towards climate impact and will willingly choose to engage with you. Try to enforce this eco-consciousness even within your supply chain as well as your operations.
Internet-Based Consumer Food Start-ups Are All the Rage
The Indian internet user base is exploding, and the penetration of smartphone usage has occurred deep within both the rural and urban markets. Internet-based start-ups are not only popular among consumers but are also seeing intense competition as well as tremendous growth.
‘Swiggy’, India’s most popular online food delivery start-up recently raised $800 M backed by Falcon Edge Capital LP and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which has raised its net worth to $5 Billion.
What’s in it for me?
It’s the season of curfews and lockdowns. Consumer needs have consequently changed. As the luxury to walk into a good restaurant, street food joint, or a canteen at odd hours is no longer available to the Indian consumer, start-ups must cater to their need for delicious food in other ways.
As a start-up, you will now have to fulfill consumer needs only through home deliveries and takeaways. How well you do it will make a difference. Consumer sentiment is being heavily influenced by restrictions. To make up for the lost business, you can offer short, concise menus which will enable you to provide fresh items to your customers while controlling costs.
Provide a greater number of choices on your delivery menu and ensure that customers can easily place orders on their smartphones.
