Overview 1
Catalyst 1
Summary 1
Table of Contents 2
Table of figures 3
THE FUTURE DECODED 4
INTRODUCTION: The need to meet taste and convenience needs is fueling the growth of dried ready meals in an increasingly time-pressed Indian society 4
Changing societal trends in India are having a major impact on Indians consumers' food behaviors 4
There are two forms of convenience food, although this report only covers the shelf stable fare 5
The Indian RTE food market is growing at a rate well in excess of the country's overall GDP growth 5
TREND: The changing lifestyles and socioeconomic profile of Indians is fueling the growth of RTE foods in the country 8
The concept of nuclear families and moving away from one's hometown is now commonplace in Indian society 9
Blurred gender roles and responsibilities have arisen from ongoing societal changes 9
An emerging generation of Indian women now exists that have neither the necessary knowledge nor the time to prepare traditional Indian meals on a regular basis 10
Indians have become more experimental with respect to their food and drink choices, as there is a need for variety in dietary intake 12
Glocalization of Indians and Indian food is increasing the acceptance and demand for RTE foods 13
Key takeouts and implications: Changing lifestyles and socio-economic status of Indians is going to drive the demand for more convenient dietary options such as, RTE foods 15
TREND: There has been an increase in Indian consumers' awareness of long-term health issues associated with an irregular diet and fast food consumption 16
Mealtime fragmentation is leading to irregular and smaller portion intake, although the importance of having a wholesome and home-cooked dinner is still apparent 17
Claims associated with health and wellness have a significant influence on consumers' product choices 18
Key takeouts and implications: Ensuring and communicating freshness, and offering more convenient product concepts should be the areas of focus for RTE manufacturers in India 20
INSIGHT: To reduce stress and improve work-life balance, a high majority of Indians are seeking time saving products and services in an attempt to maximize leisure time 21
Pressure to achieve professional satisfaction is ever rising 21
Indians are showing a significant tendency to choose products with a convenience positioning 22
Key takeouts and implications: All aspects of convenience-driven benefits should be at the forefront of marketing communication from the RTE manufacturers 23
INSIGHT: Both Indian men and women are equally interested in knowing the relationship between food and health, but more women tend to use on-pack nutritional information 25
Since Indians are taking more interest in taking control of their personal health than ever before, there is a renewed interest in reading information related to health and wellness 25
Key takeouts and implications: Detailed and descriptive nutritional information on product packaging is vital in gaining the consumers' trust 28
INSIGHT: More than half of Indians across all age groups are highly influenced by 'better-for-you' claims while making food and beverage choices 29
Key takeouts and implications: RTE foods should be reformulated to contain low-fat and low-cholesterol 30
INSIGHT: Food and beverages marketed with 'Freshness' claims have more influence on consumers, compared to 'Authentic/home-made/original' or even 'No artificial additives' 30
Traditionally, Indians have long believed in the benefits of consuming freshly prepared food at home 30
The ongoing preference for 'fresh' food is influenced by growing understanding of the benefits of food products which are free from artificial additives or are made from 'natural' ingredients 31
Key takeouts and implications: Freshness-linked claims gain precedence over authenticity and home-made claims in consumers' choice of food products 32
INSIGHT: Indians who do not cook dinner at home on a sustained basis choose take-away meals more often than eating out, driven by an innate preference for at-home consumption 32
Key takeouts and implications: Driven by a desire for eating at home, Indians are increasingly looking for convenient and healthy alternatives which give the taste of home-cooked meals 34
ACTION POINTS 35
ACTION: Remove the skepticism surrounding the freshness of RTE foods via healthier product formulation and appropriating communication on product packaging 35
ACTION: Make smaller pack sizes to allow for single serve usage and to encourage trial 38
ACTION: Target the workplace as a consumption occasion 39
ACTION: Introduce greater variety by offering popular international cuisines 40
ACTION: Introduce RTE salads targeted at the health conscious 41
ACTION: Explore meal combinations of rice/bread and curries 42
ACTION: Offer RTE foods in packaging formats that allow for direct consumption from the container 43
APPENDIX 45
Definitions 45
Canned ready meals 45
Chilled ready meals 45
Frozen ready meals 45
Dried ready meals 46
Methodology 46
Further reading and references 47
Ask the analyst 47
Datamonitor consulting 47
Disclaimer 47
List of Figures
Figure 1: Changing lifestyles, gender roles and the need for products that offer a balance between taste and convenience are driving the growth of RTE foods in India 6
Figure 2: Manufacturers in India need to work on delivering better taste, health and convenience to make RTE foods a more formidable competitor to other dinner time meal considerations 8
Figure 3: Three waves of supermarket diffusion have influenced emerging market retailing 11
Figure 4: Indians' diet diversification over the last two decades has taken place through two distinct stages 12
Figure 5: Several Indian manufacturers have launched ethnic Indian cuisines in the RTE format, but with slightly different value propositions communicated through package literature 14
Figure 6: Regional Indian cuisines, sweets and combination meals present significant opportunities for Indian RTE food manufacturers to explore new product development 15
Figure 7: Public health indicators related to dietary intake among Indians show possibilities of a deterioration by 2025 17
Figure 8: Many consumers do not feel that they have the time to prepare and eat 'three square meals a day' 18
Figure 9: Most Indians make a conscious attempt to eat healthily, but on a sustained basis, female consumers do so more than the males 19
Figure 10: RTE food manufacturers are increasingly using 'Natural' and 'No preservatives' claims on the front of the product packaging 20
Figure 11: In 2009, Indians felt that their lives became more stressful, and this can be attributed to a decreasing satisfaction with respect to work-life balance 22
Figure 12: Over the last two years, rising inclination to maximize leisure time has resulted in close to 80% of the Indians giving more importance to time-saving products and services 23
Figure 13: There are at least two broad dimensions of convenience 24
Figure 14: Close to 70% of Indian men and women show a keen interest in reading or hearing about the relationship between food and health 26
Figure 15: A large proportion of Indian consumers remain unsure about whether they feel food and health information is confusing and conflicting 27
Figure 16: Compared to the men, more Indian women use nutritional information on product packaging to help make food and drink choices on a regular basis 28
Figure 17: Across all ages, 'Low or lowers cholesterol' and 'Low or reduced fat' has a high level of influence on 50% of the Indians' choice of food and beverages 29
Figure 18: Across all age groups, Indians value 'Freshness' claims more than 'Authentic/home-made/original' or even 'No artificial additives' claims 31
Figure 19: On a regular basis, if not for home-cooked dinner, Indians prefer at-home consumption of take-away meals over eating out 33
Figure 20: RTE manufacturers in India should focus on reducing the fat content in their curries or at least use and communicate the fact that healthier oils have been used in the preparations 36
Figure 21: Leverage product packaging to promote the nutritional value of RTE foods and create trust among consumers 37
Figure 22: Time pressure and an attempt to 'eat moderate to stay healthy' are driving Indians to eat and drink smaller portions 39
Figure 23: Easy to use RTE meal concepts targeted at lunch-time consumption at the workplace is a potential opportunity to increase 'share of stomach' in India 40
Figure 24: As preferences broaden, Indian RTE manufacturers should explore convenience-meal concepts based on popular international cuisines, such as Chinese and Italian 41
Figure 25: RTE salad concepts present a significant opportunity, as they potentially satisfy Indians consumers' converging needs for taste, health and convenience 42
Figure 26: Introducing combinations of rice and curries to make RTE offerings a comprehensive meal is a potentially compelling market offering 43
Figure 27: RTE foods in bowl or dish-type packaging could further increase the convenience-led value proposition 44
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