Vishal S S (cbedit@imaws.org)
-By Vishal SS
Masala Chef Products mainly focuses on the HoReCa segment requirements in terms of the supply chain, sales team competencies are very different for both. Most importantly the HoReCa segment is still underserved and there is a tremendous opportunity.
The brand Thillais which is a consumer brand is a spice brand based in Virudunagar, Tamilnadu, India. Thillais Makes easy-to-cook spice blends and specializes in regional Tamilnadu cuisine. Masala Chef demystifies elaborate south Indian cooking into a simple method. All-natural and simple ingredients blended to make everyday cooking fun, convenient, and tasty which makes cooking simplified.
HoReCa specific masala product
Many reasons chain up on why Hoteliers should consider HoReCa-specific masala Products. The requirements of the foodservice industry are unique in the sense that the masala though used in small quantities. They are key to determining the final output in terms of colour, taste, and aroma consistently in Indian cuisine. Purchasing is an important function for a restaurant, be it small or large for profitability which only an HoReCa brand can offer a solution. All our products for the HoReCa industry are in 500gm packs.
Purchasing a consumer brand or grinding on their own are not cost-effective. Some restaurants grind their own spice. This can provide huge variations in quality even from the same batch as the quality of spice degrades rapidly which leads to the loss of aroma and colour. The cost economics of grinding their own masala just don’t add up. Masala brands in the country are largely regional players. The large-format hotels and restaurants are already serviced by large players like Griffith laboratories, Kerry, FSIPL, and Intergrow brands. We focus more on the small and medium restaurants in tier 2 and tier 3 towns.
There are huge disadvantages when it comes to the usage of B2C Masala products for restaurants. The consumer brand may be a great choice to use at home but not necessarily the best for the restaurant. A restaurant‘s needs are very different. When you purchase a consumer brand you are paying consumer prices defeating your cost objectives that are critical to your costing. Besides a home cook’s needs are different from that of a commercial kitchen.
“It is important for a restaurant to use a variety of brands based on their menu which could be varieties from across the country. A good example is Sambar masala. A good South Indian brand’s Sambar will be more authentic while for a butter chicken a brand from the Delhi region would be more apt”. Said Mr Jaisinh Vaerkar, Managing Partner, Thillais Masala.
Masala Chef’s innovation and USP
The USP is consistent when it comes to every pack and the costs. The other aspect is the delivery. Masala Chef products are delivered through exclusive distributors or direct from the company. They get insights from the menus and the main points of small restaurateurs and offer products that address their concerns. Avoiding the cooks away from synthetic colours the brand offers natural chilli powder that is bright red. The products are not available in Kirana stores.
“Our sales teams are so widely creating their networks, they work closely with chefs and purchase managers to understand their requirements better. A direct sales approach helps keep supply chain costs low”. added Jaisinh.
Market Demand and SKUs
The demand happening across various categories but the team is currently focussing on pure spice powders and masala powders. Just catering to meet the shift from restaurants grinding their own spice and masala to help them in choosing a branded product is large enough.
The brand believes that their chilli powders are the best as they have five variants in just chilli powder. They have a hotel blend chilli powder which can be used across dishes and cuisine, Samba chilli powder is recommended for south Indian vegetarian cooking like Sambar, etc, they also have Kashmiri chilli powder, tika Lal and chilli flakes. The chilli powder guarantees the same heat and colour in every batch. “We have a wide variety based on cuisines- South Indian which is very popular, barbeque and grill mixes, North Indian range besides pure spice powders and seasonings like cheese and peri.We have a total of 23 SKUs in Masala Chef Brand with varieties of seasonings”. added Jaisinh.
Challenge and expansion plans
Like all other brands which are in the market, Masala Chef Products also have a challenge on availability as they are just ramping up their distribution for their products. However, The brands convey their thanks and regards to efficient new-generation logistics providers who were able to ship products directly from their company across the country. The brand is open to appointing distributors across India for Masalachef. The brand is having ample capacity and infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing HoReCa industry. The immediate plan in the pipeline for the brand is to first expand in South India across Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra, and Telangana.
Best Wishes, Masala Chef From
On behalf of VB Systems, we wish the brand ‘Masala Chef’ to reach newer heights in the HoReCa segment. VB Systems is Tamil Nadu’s leading end-to-end IT solutions provider for a wide range of products.
