Tanisha Saxena (cbedit@imaws.org)
Food Industries Welfare Association (FIWA) came into existence in April 2018 when Doctor Girish Gupta decided to help out the Medium and Small scale industries in India. The idea goes back to 2017 when he was brainstorming ideas with his team. FIWA is registered under The Societies Registration Act, 1860 (All India Level Society) and aims to work for the benefit and upliftment of Medium and Small scale industries. The food processing industry is a huge segment wherein it is ensured that the food items are being made safely, attractively, nutritious, and finally, are marketable. In essence, it is to look after the process of converting the raw food into final food items that we see in the groceries and use in the kitchen.
Doctor Girish joins us and tells, “We aim to incubate, promote, encourage, and support Indian Food Processing Industry. For the same, we actively represent, pursue and lobby with the concerned government authorities for ensuring ease of doing business. Times have changed and we are far more independent as an industry. We have been focusing on an Incubation Center in Delhi/NCR wherein training is provided to every segment at affordable prices to help the local business match the global standards of the food processing industry.”
How do you aim to support small and medium businesses in the country?
By organising various seminars and workshops the association helps the members and keeps them abreast of the latest worldwide development. Medium and small-scale industries (MSMEs) have evolved considerably in the past decade owing to globalization and subsequent trade networking. If we go back even before 2000 then during the 60s and 70s, MSMEs were simply boxed into small-scale sectors. It was indeed a very limiting approach to a larger concept. Cut to 2023, we recognise the full potential of the MSMEs and understand their role in the country’s economic growth. Furthermore, initiatives like Make in India focus on utilising domestic resources and delivering quality products and services. It is crucial to note that we have so much for exploring within the boundaries of the country that we may never need to imitate other methods. However, we do need to understand that somewhere down the line our technology isn’t that fine.
The bakery industry is thriving at the moment. According to you what is the potential of the sector in India in the future and how does FWIA cater to the needs of the businesses?
According to the latest report, The Indian bakery market size reached US$ 11.3 Billion in 2022. Looking forward, the analyst expects the market to reach US$ 21.2 Billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.06% during 2022-2028. Undoubtedly, the bakery sector is a roaring success at the moment. We sit down to analyse the rising consumption of bakery goods and noticed that over the years the consumption of cakes on birthdays and special occasions or festivities is what stimulated the market growth. I would also like to give two factors here, one, is the drastic change in the lifestyle of people. Today we have such busy lives that we are taking ready-to-eat food items. Along with this, the burgeoning food and beverage (F&B) industry, coupled with the expansion of quick service restaurants (QSRs) and fast-food chains, is increasing the usage of bread for preparing sandwiches, soups, burgers, and snacks. Gradually, we have become more concerned about health and therefore manufacturers are introducing healthy, low trans-fat, multi-grain, and whole wheat bakery products. Moreover, the expansion of hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, and departmental stores is offering lucrative growth opportunities to manufacturers operating in the country.
In order to boost and support the bakery sector we are organising a trade show for the bakery chocolate industry. As part of the three days show we are expecting about 180 national – international exhibitors and a recorded trade visitor footfall of over 12000 from across India and industry. The purpose of this event is to bring clarity and understanding of the market demands and figure out the loopholes. Consequently, we would be addressing the gaps in the industry. For example, what needs to be done so that the small industries scale up their business? See, the bakery industry is thriving but it is also been trying to get into shape. By this I mean this sector is most unorganised at the moment and there’s a need to organise everything. Yes, there are training schools set up across the country but the focus should be on the entire process of taking a product to the market. We have all kinds of people in our country and the bakery industry is just catering to one particular section of the country and this needs to be changed. The products should reach as many people as possible and this will include more finishing in production, accessibility, marketing, etc.
What are the key challenges for the food processing unit?
There are many challenges of course but broadly the demand from retail and in particular demand for ready-to-eat food items is huge. With constant changes in our lifestyle, the need for safe processed food is increasing. Now, processed food has a market not just within the domestic territory but overseas as well. We need to have much better technology like advanced machinery in order to keep up with the demand. In addition, it will help steady the flow of raw material from the farming community as with better technology we will be able to keep a check on the quality standards of the products. Overall, this will facilitate greater development of the businesses.
Tell us about the past events and the kind of impact they have had on the growth of the businesses.
In the past, FIWA has organised a bakers technology fair in 2022 at the HITEX exhibition center in Hyderabad. As part of the event, global leading professional buyers and delegates met and exchanged ideas on the latest innovations in the bakery and confectionery industry. Prior to this, FIWA also conducted an exhibition, food pro wherein the broad spectrum of opportunities and solutions available for food processing, packaging, dairy, beverages, and retail segment were explored. Now, FIWA is bracing for the global food and technology expo 2023 going to be held in August at Pragati Maidan, Delhi. There will be a food industry icon awards ceremony on 25th August 2023.
