B Swaminathan (publisherchefbharath@gmail.com)
Rich Graviss Products is a joint venture between Rich Products Corporation (USA) and Graviss Food Solutions. The launch of Rich’s Whip Topping in 1996 sparked a revolution in the Indian bakery industry; as it was the first-ever dairy-free whip topping of the country. Since then, Rich’s has evolved to support the market growth and become the largest selling brand of whip topping in the country. Today, Rich’s produces a wide range of products for both the bakery as well as the foodservice channels. The company caters to more than 18000 customers across all the states and union territories through a highly competent cold chain distribution network. In an exclusive chat, Pankaj Jain, GM- Sales, Marketing and Culinary, Rich Graviss Products speaks on the company’s vision.
In what are the ways, your product eases the job of a Chef without compromising on the actual quality?
Innovation is at the core of everything we do at Rich’s. We are constantly working towards making life easier for our customers – be it a chef or a baker. Our recent product launches have been towards this goal. Be it our entry in the speed-scratch market or beverage solutions, our operator is always at the center of focus. Speed-scratch lets our customers offer more variety with a reduction in labour work. It provides operators with infinite possibilities to mix and match, allowing for greater customization. Makhani Gravy Base and Panada – Base for Continental Sauce have received great responses from customers. Our Beverage Solution – Ice Hot, will allow customers to do away with ice cream, milk, milk powder and 
a combination of the above while preparing shakes.
Quality is of paramount importance to us. Global Quality Manual and Rich Products Global Regulatory Policies are considered while incorporating food safety and quality systems, apart from meeting the local regulations and basic norms of food safety.
Today, the challenge a Chef is facing is to make the food look good, thanks to the social media sharing by the youngsters. How better your product can make food look social media-friendly?
Luckily for us, we already belong to an industry that is social media friendly and drool-worthy if I might add. Our products allow our customers to dream up unforgettable experiences for their consumers. For instance, can you think of anything that looks better than a chocolate chip cupcake with a dollop of yummy whip topping and sprinkles or a slice of pastry with frosting or chocolate truffle covered strawberries?
Please explain the latest products you had launched and the unique aspects?
We have recently made a new addition to our chocolate category – Rich’s Premium Truffle. It is ready to use Ganache that imparts perfect taste and shine to your cakes and desserts. It is truly a life-changing product that eliminates the need for spending hours to make truffle from scratch & gives you the same, consistent result every time.
Ice Hot – All in One Beverage Mix is our most recent launch. It is an ideal base for preparing both hot and cold beverages. It is the perfect replacement for milk, ice cream, blended powder and has a better-refrigerated shelf life. Its neutral flavour allows you to customize the sweetness and flavours of your shakes.
What the key factors you have in mind while you launch new products?
We aim to listen, understand and deliver for our customers like nobody else. They are the guiding force behind everything that we do. All our innovations stem from their challenges, their needs as well as global & local trends.
We focus on solving the problems that they face in their kitchens – be it wanting to diversify their product offerings or reducing the time in making something from scratch. With Rich’s, you don’t have to compromise between convenience and quality.
Explain your foot-print in India in terms of geography, type of kitchen/pastry houses your products enter in.
Rich’s has a pan-India presence. Headquartered in Mumbai, we have five regional offices, and two plants – one in Pune and the other in Kala Amb, Himachal Pradesh that help us ensure product availability and supply throughout the year. You can find us anywhere from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
We cater to all segments of customers –small, medium or large, through our two primary channels – Retail Bakery and Food Services. Industrial Bakers, Mom & Pop stores, Home Bakers, Hotels, Restaurants & Cafes, Flight Kitchens and Caterers constitute some of our customers.
Currently, we have the capability to cater to 500 cities in the country with a population of more than one lakh.
What are the top three plans you have for the India market?
Last year marked our foray in the speed-scratch market with the launch of Makhani Gravy Base. This year we launched Panada – Base for Continental Sauce, as I mentioned before. Our Food Service channel is definitely going to be a key focus area for us. We see a lot of potentials – not just in gravies but also in high-quality sauces and dips.
We also foresee a big opportunity in Beverages. With consumers constantly looking for new and unique tastes and flavours, especially millennials always wanting to ‘explore more’, beverages naturally become an ideal way to cater to them. Thick shakes, freak shakes and what not are flooding the market today. It definitely appears to be a promising avenue for growth.
Taste is of utmost importance for consumers today. We have launched ‘Niagara Farms Gold’ recently keeping exactly this in mind. It is a first of its kind dairy blended whip topping with a premium dairy taste. We are focusing on making our offerings more premium to ensure that we can cater to the ever-changing needs of consumers and ever-evolving trends in the market.
