Kamal Agarwal, Executive Director , Haldiram Foods International Ltd. Nagpur
During the lockdown and pandemic period there was a high demand for packed and branded food items in the country. The Mithai industry was on the losing side because 95 percent of sweets are sold loose in the country. How you are handling the growing demand for packed sweets?
Even before the pandemic started, we never ever compromised on the quality of our sweets or the standards of hygiene. Our consumers trust us for this, which is also our strength. Therefore, fulfilling the high demand for packed sweets was not a big challenge at all. We managed it rather well.
Many companies have launched their product in the retail market after introducing the best packaging variants with good shelf life. Do you think now the time has come for all modern manufacturers to look beyond their showrooms?
For our customers across the globe, we have been always there for them, exporting sweets to satiate their sweet cravings. We are aware that the shelf life can vary product to product on foreign shores. But we don’t want to add preservatives or play with quality and sweets. After all, sweets need to be consumed fresh. Therefore, our focus is always on “anytime, anywhere” to adhere to different tastes. Yes, our continuous R&D offers ‘best ever quality’ and that much loved taste across geographies, timelines & cultures.
Mithai & namkeen companies introduced automatic processing lines and food safety systems in their factories. What measures you are applying for safe and hygienic mithais & namkeens?
At Haldiram’s we have always followed and maintained the highest standards of hygiene. The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all in some way or the other. Even before the pandemic, our consumers and employee’s safety was of utmost priority, we at Haldiram’s are also stringently maintaining good manufacturing practices (GMPs). At any given point of time, thorough cleaning and sanitation of food processing equipment and facilities keep happening.
In keeping with the guidelines, we have temperature checks at all out outlets and production units along with a comprehensive sanitation facility. Additional measures have also been adopted such as handwashing and respiratory etiquette; physical distancing of staff; and good hygiene and sanitation practices, frequent sanitation of ‘high touch points.’
It’s been observed that more than 200 new showrooms of mithai were inaugurated across the country in FSNM membership before Diwali. What are your efforts in this direction?
The fast-fading line between meals and snacks is leveraging opportunities for snacking, with our products leading the way. Continuous innovations in flavours and tastes, especially exotic and sophisticated flavours has always been the hallmark of Haldiram’s products. We are also expanding to make Haldiram’s sweets range available to the consumers with utmost hygiene. Outlets have been opened in Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Amravati and so on. Our future focus is to open more outlets at different locations, very soon.
In the lockdown period and thereafter during the unlock process there was an acute shortage of labour in the food factories. What measures you are applying now to reduce manpower dependency?
To overcome the acute shortage of labour, we had to make do with the existing resources we had. Having said that, we made sure that our employees worked comfortably, safely without being overburdened or over worked. As we mentioned earlier, for us our employees come first, they are our responsibility. We will continue to fulfil our duties capably. Be it at present or in the future.