Godrej snack report: Healthy Indian snacking is the shared responsibility of the Govt, manufacturers, & consumers

: According to the Godrej ‘snack report’ of the Indian consumers, the consumption of frozen packed food is on a tremendous rise in the country which has led to an alarming question about the health of the consumers. To this, the panel of experts during the release of the report said that this is a shared responsibility of the government and the manufacturers, therefore, proper guidelines given by the food safety department to the manufacturers who then strictly follow the guidelines and try to add healthy elements within their products can reduce the risk of unhealthy consumption. The India Snacking Report (Volume I) by Godrej Yummiez came up with an abbreviation called ‘STTEM – Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease and Mood Uplifter’ – this report surveyed over 2800 people across 9 cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

Speaking on the report, Pritee Chaudhary, IRS, Regional Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), West Region said “FSSAI is the nodal regulatory authority which takes note of safety parameters of the Food articles in India. Snacking is one such area where Safety parameters are checked, be it domestic production or import. Storage conditions for frozen snacks and transfat control in the final product are of paramount importance.

It’s gaining turf in the busy lifestyle and as it satiates pallets. However, responsible snacking is equally important. More emphasis on product development and industry innovation is needed where high fiber, low fat, low salt, and low sugar snacks can be provided as an option.

And finally, a trade-off between health, taste, and ease is possible” Chef Ajay Chopra who was present at the launch of the report, said, “Snacking is an intrinsic part of India’s entity, existence, and future growth story. Especially in the frozen food and snacking category, the importance of standardization and safety is paramount. The potential growth of this sector is exponential due to various changes across social, cultural & economical parameters.

The pivotal matrix of STTEM will play a key role in a consumer’s decision to consume snacks” Abhay Parnerkar, Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Tyson Foods Limited (GTFL) further added, “As the role of snacking broadens, India’s demand for judicious purchase choices certainly means good news for the industry. At the same time, the frozen food market is pegged at INR 3500 crores. I am bullish about the frozen food category seeing over 10% growth in the coming years.

The definition of what the best-suited snack is for an individual or a household has changed. Palates have changed. Consumers have become more conscious now.

Hereon, it will be interesting to watch India’s snacking industry growth story and how. ” 73% Indians feel taste is the biggest reason for snacking 62% Indians feel potato-based snacks is an omnipresent part of their snacking platter 65% Indians prefer vegetarian frozen snacks (North India being the leading region) 41% consume vegetarian frozen snacks daily 39% East and 38% South India prefer non-vegetarian frozen snacks 83% mothers feel frozen snacks are quick-fix hunger solutions for kids 65% Indians confessed to indulging in anytime snacking 76% women snack more often than men 52% fathers cook frozen snacks more than mothers.