News on Food Trends from India

When Burger King decided to enter India, the American hamburger chain did something that it has never done before. It gave the local master franchise full control over the menu.

As growth slows down and intense competition emerges from regional brands in potato chips, PepsiCo and ITC are shifting their focus more towards newer and healthier forms of packaged snacks, the market for which is growing at twice the speed.

Last month, McDonald's India has cut the amount of calories and salt on its Indian menu as it fights to hold on to customers in a rapidly growing developing market where newer, healthier fast-food options are just starting to catch on.

On the opening day of the India International Potato Expo on Thursday, Dr BP Singh, director, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, said potato played an important role in the nutritional security of the country.

McCain Foods India is expanding its distribution network as well as improving availability of its products throughout the country.

The Indian food processing sector is likely to grow at the rate of over 10 percent from 2015 onwards as a result of increased investment from private sector, according to a study.

India’s government is seeking help from an unlikely partner to feed millions of its hungriest children: PepsiCo Inc, the world’s largest snack maker.

Himalya International Ltd, a food processing firm based in India, is terminating its frozen foods joint venture (JV) with US-based J R Simplot Company, as per a stock market disclosure.

The agri division of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, part of the $16.7 billion Mahindra Group, today signed a joint venture agreement with HZPC Holland to offer the best quality seed potatoes to farmers within and outside India.

HZPC Holland bv, wereldleider in aardappelveredeling, heeft vandaag in India met de Mahindra-groep (jaaromzet $16,7 miljard) in Chandigarh een overeenkomst getekend voor de oprichting van een gezamenlijke onderneming.

Balaji Wafers Pvt. Ltd is in advanced talks with Capital International Private Equity Funds (CIPEF) to sell nearly 15% in the snacks maker according to two people familiar with the development, who did not want to be named.

India has long had a reputation as being unfriendly to foreign businesses, but when it comes to fast food, international chains are being warmly welcomed by a young, upwardly mobile population.

India Times reports that Pizza Hut is to introduce a potato topping at an outlet in the city Vadodara after extensive market research.

PepsiCo Inc, the maker of Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay snacks and Tropicana juice, plans to invest $5.5 billion in India by 2020 to expand its presence in the country, it said on Monday.

Food &beverages giant PepsiCo India is believed to have backed out of the race to buy a stake in Rajkot-based Balaji Wafers.

PepsiCo Inc., the world’s largest snack-food maker, is among suitors exploring a bid for India’s Balaji Wafers Pvt as it pushes to sell more chips in developing countries, said two people familiar with the matter.

PepsiCo and Mondelez, along with their Indian counterparts ITC and Britannia, have been approached for a stake of Balaji Wafers - a 37-year-old india based wafer (potato chip), namkeen and savoury brand that dominates a number of states in western India.

One of India's states, Himachal Pradesh will impose a ban on using polythene for packaging non-essential eatables, especially potato chips and candies, from July 1, officials said on Sunday.