Austrade media release

Thursday, 5 June 2008

Sales of Australian food and beverages have taken off in India after a major Austrade-organised supermarket promotion kicked off in the country’s IT hub–Bengaluru (Bangalore)–last Friday (30 May).

The ‘Taste Australia’ program was launched by Austrade in conjunction with Australian consolidator, BEMCO Australia at Bengaluru’s SPAR Hypermarket, operated by one of India’s biggest retail chains, Max Hypermarkets.

Through the month of June, shoppers from India’s ‘Silicon Valley’ will be enticed to buy Australian baked goods, confectionary, juices, soups, spreads, desserts, snack foods, mixes, olive oil and canned foods.

The month-long promotion will showcase 24 leading Australian brands including the iconic Vegemite. Other featured brands are: Angus O'Neil's, Arnotts, Bamboleo, Carman’s, Country Gold, Edgells, Fountain, Golden Circle, Goldyna, Greens, Heinz, ITAL, IXL, John West, Jols, Juicy Isle, Masterfoods, Red Island, Smiths, Thomas Chipmans, Waterthins, Weight Watchers and Windsor Farms.

Austrade’s New Delhi-based Senior Trade Commissioner, Mike Moignard said, the ‘Taste Australia’ program will help Australian food and beverage producers gain market access and identify opportunities for long-term growth in India’s multi-billion dollar food sector.

“Indian food retail is worth over AUD$172 billion (USD$165b), of which organised food retail is only about three per cent^*. The increasing affluence of India’s burgeoning middle class is driving demand for a new range of food products. Consumers are looking for quality, variety, convenience and above all a new taste experience, and this is treating tremendous new opportunities for Australian grocery lines and gourmet foods,” he said.

Managing Director of Max Hypermarkets, Viney Singh, “There’s a growing trend among Indian consumers to try foods from overseas. Our customers are always on the look out for good quality products with the best new tastes. Australia has a reputation for clean, green products of the highest quality, which we think they will  appreciate. We're encouraging them to try Australian products.”

The ‘Taste Australia’ program will have in-store demonstrations and promotions covering 122 Australian food and beverage products. SPAR expects to import between AUD$730,000 to AUD$1.04 million worth of Australian  products over the next year.

Mr Moignard said the Taste Australia program is part of an Austrade strategy to boost market opportunities for  Australian food products.

"The southern cities are at the forefront of India’s shift towards modern food retailing. Australian food and beverage products already line supermarket shelves in Chennai and Bengaluru.

"Since the launch last Friday, there’s been a significant increase in sales of Australian food products, juices and biscuits in particular. Although it’s early days still, initial feedback from the retailer is good. Australian  products have certainly whet the appetite of SPAR supermarket customers in Bengaluru, and the prospect of introducing more Australian food brands into India's growing organised retail sector is looking very good," he said.

The ‘Taste Australia’ promotion is part of Austrade’s Utsav Australia (Celebrate Australia) program. The program is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF).

^{*Images India Retail Report 2007}

Austrade’s Senior Trade Commissioner to India, Mike Moignard, is available for interviews.

ENDS

Media contact

Purnima Ganapathy
Mob: +61 419 127 577

For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre.