Australian food group, Simplot Australia, has launched its pasta and pizza sauces in India, despite the pandemic.
Stuart Rees, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, South Asia formally launched Leggo's pasta and pizza sauces in Mumbai on 11 March, along with importer RR Universal.
Leggo's joins a growing band of Australian food producers that are marketing brands in India, including via e-commerce platforms. San Remo launched its pasta in India in late 2019.
Indian households develop a taste for Australian icons
The number of Australian food and beverages brands in India has grown steadily during the pandemic as consumers switch to pre-prepared foods.
Packaged foods have witnessed a 30–50% spike in consumer demand since early 2020.
At the same time, consumer tastes are shifting from unbranded to branded foods. This is helping to lift sales of Australian products – especially, cookies, ready-to-eat foods, protein-rich foods and immune system-boosting goods, according to local sources.
Food brands take to social media and e-commerce
E-commerce is proving an effective route to market for Australian food brands in India. Exporters say it allows them to test markets and then branch out to offline retail.
To date, 35 Australian exporters have used the 'Australian Store' on Amazon India to enter and test the market.
Australian brands are also taking to social media – including Instagram and Snapchat – to drive traffic to e-commerce platforms in India. Swisse, Sand & Sky and Orgran currently use social media to build brand equity in India.
Leggo's owner, Simplot Australia is an agricultural and food manufacturing business based in Victoria. It employs over 2,000 people and operates five manufacturing facilities across Australia.
The Australia–India Business Exchange (AIBX)
Austrade is engaging with Australian brands to research markets, test products and find partners in India, as demand rapidly expands.
Austrade's India Food and Beverages Team helped Simplot Australia to research market potential in India prior to the launch.
Austrade has also launched a program to help increase trade and investment between Australian and India.
Called the Australia-India Business Exchange (AIBX), the program provides insights, advice, and business connections to grow two-way trade and investment between Australia and India.
