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<ul><li>The food delivery platform has launched 6 new TVCs that have a refreshing take on everyday Indian meals</li><li>Conceptualized in partnership with Lowe Lintas, the ad campaign focuses on how consumers can complement their favorite food made at home with food they love ordered on Swiggy to elevate their meals</li></ul>Swiggy has launched a series of television commercials and digital videos, that are reflective of the evolving food culture in Indian homes. With a tagline ‘Ghar Ka Khaana, Saath Mein Thoda Swiggy!’, the platform aims to target consumers who like their home-cooked meals but also look to add an exciting element that complements their routine. Conceptualized in partnership with Lowe Lintas, the ad campaign focuses on how consumers can complement their favorite food made at home with food they love ordered on Swiggy to elevate their meals. Srivats TS- VP Marketing at Swiggy says, “Swiggy’s TVCs have consistently communicated to consumers in extremely relatable ways. As a category creator, we have taken consumers through an entire food-ordering journey through our ads. From our ‘What a delivery’ IPL ads to the ‘Swiggy Karo Phir Jo Chahe Karo’ campaigns, we’ve broken the clutter of discount-focused ads. The ‘Ghar ka Khaana, Saath Mein Thoda Swiggy!’, the campaign is all about celebrating your meals with your family while adding the Swiggy touch with an extra something- be it an extra dish, side dish or desserts. It is a perfect vehicle to blend an age-old tradition with new ones.” “As Indians, we all love home-made food. That said, there are myriad combinations and add-ons to our dishes that can enhance the overall meal experience. That’s where Swiggy comes in. To order that one extra delight. As always, we have ensured we have a slice of life food moments that are relatable yet nuanced,” says Sagar Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas Apart from Hindi, the TVCs will be filmed and aired in languages such as Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi across General Entertainment Channels (Hindi and regional) such as Sports Channels, English Movies, Hindi movies, Hindi Music etc. The campaign will also run on Swiggy’s digital channels.

Home-made food is incomplete without an order from Swiggy, says its latest ad

<ul><li>In an interview with Business Insider, Gaurav Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand at <keyword id="830092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomato">Zomato</keyword>, spills the beans on how they brew <keyword id="3952661" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="viral-posts">viral posts</keyword>. </li><li>Zomato with 1.4 million followers on Twitter (in just one handle), has been leading the social media game with its viral content.</li><li>Business Insider decodes what goes on behind the scenes of the virality.</li></ul>It was just another July afternoon, well until a tweet appeared on Zomato’s timeline – Guys, kabhi kabhi ghar ka khana bhi kha lena chahiye (Guys, sometimes you should have home food too). Coming from a foodtech unicorn – valued at $2.6 billion at last count – which takes in millions of orders for home delivery from restaurants, the tweet went viral and invited several other leading brands – YouTube India, Amazon Prime, Fox Star, Jio Saavn and many more – to join in. 
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 The <a href="http://www.adageindia.in/digital/why-are-zomato-and-other-new-age-brands-anti-selling-on-twitter/articleshow/70132155.cms">‘anti-marketing’ post</a>, not only worked well – the sheer scale of its virality was surprising even for Zomato. “When we made that post, we were on our way to hit 500 cities with our food delivery services. And the order volumes were going through the roof. For us, the ‘ghar ka khana’ post was more of a pause to celebrate, and the tweet was just a reflection of what we felt was a good message to dwell on,” said Gaurav Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand at Zomato. And that is exactly the secret of Zomato’s success on social media. There’s no one set formula or frequency that works on social media. The trick is to try relatable posts with an element of surprise. “In the last 6 months, their followers and engagement has doubled,” Verma said so much so that they had to change their internal metrics of evaluation. The food delivery service’s India handle now has 227K followers on Instagram, 1.4 million on Twitter, and 1.9 million on Facebook. In July 2019, Zomato tied up with Tiktok - an immensely popular platform for short videos, especially, in smaller cities and towns – to “<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-and-tiktok-come-together-to-spread-the-message-on-food-wastage/articleshow/70174539.cms">spread the message on food wastage</a>.”. With just 582 followers in a month, the TikTok influence has been tepid so far. Life as it happens A young team deliberates over social media posts everyday. There is no set pattern or strategy – just a bunch youngsters reflecting on life as it happens. “There’s no one brain churning out awesome ideas - it’s a small team of dedicated individuals who are keen on experimenting and close-knit enough to democratically work together,” said Verma. And it works. Almost every other week, a social media from Zomato post hits goes viral, whether it is a post about chai (tea) or memes on food. They are so effective even other brands, often, ride the wave. “This was an interesting development as brands wouldn't have proactively collaborated in such an unscripted or un-initiated banter, let’s say, two years ago. We did not expect other brands to join-in, but it was very warm of them to do so,” said Verma. Zomato’s building a case study for other brands to follow – everyday conversations can make a difference. “Our ideas tend to be relatable because they speak directly to the masses. So if you notice the language we use across our platforms, you’d find it very approachable. Our aim is to not always go viral but to stay relevant. And in most cases, this relatability factor drives the overall engagement,” shared Verma. Trigger happy trolls However, it’s not always fun. Zomato recently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-just-shut-up-a-bigoted-customer-in-less-than-ten-words/articleshow/70462499.cms">shutdown a bigoted customer</a>, who refused to take an order from a delivery guy of a different religion. Zomato replied, “Food doesn’t have a religion. It is a religion”, while its co-founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said he wasn’t sorry to let go of any business that comes in the way of their values. The team at Zomato decided to take a stand on the matter and strongly felt the need to respond in the way they did. The post got a slot in the primetime news television with debates on social media and even trolls making their way to Zomato’s social media. “If given a chance, would we have done things differently - absolutely not,” said Verma. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/some-of-zomatos-staff-are-protesting-saying-wont-deliver-beef-or-pork/articleshow/70636828.cms">Some of Zomato's staff are protesting saying "Won't deliver beef or pork"</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-ceo-deepinder-goyal-reveals-the-real-reason-for-the-howrah-protest/articleshow/70670087.cms">Zomato CEO reveals the real reason for the Howrah protest</a>

Zomato reveals its secret recipe that makes its social media posts go viral ever so often

<ul><li>The pandemic has made consumers painfully sensitive about the importance of health and immunity. </li><li>Kantar's report says that there's a more focused approach to individual health requirements, an increasing appreciation of the traditional diets and a growing interest in the functional benefits of our familiar kitchen ingredients are triggering conscious food choices.</li></ul>The last year has shown our immense capacity for adjustments and unhesitant flexibility in learning to coexist with the virus. From holding back spends to returning to shopping malls and airports with gusto, Indian consumers have adapted to the ebbs and tides of the pandemic. Preparing for exigencies went hand in hand with recalibrating needs and striving to build a fuller life. We are living in strange times and are yet to get completely accustomed to the new way of living. Nevertheless, there is a continuous effort to do more and be more with the spirit of ‘Carpe Diem’ whenever possible. Along with the conscious focus on care and safety, there is a constant lookout for pockets of enjoyment and social joy. Locked in their homes and under restrictions, Indian consumers have also had a year of epiphany. They have realised the value of self-care, mindful living and are now seeking a more sustainable lifestyle. Some old habits have been replaced entirely, others adjusted, and the changes are here to stay. Our 2022 Annual Trends are borne out of the insights we generate at Kantar, based on our conversations with consumers across the country, and help guide you through a period of recovery and innovation. Kantar brings you 10 themes that define how consumers are preparing themselves for 2022. <ol><li>Going small to live big</li></ol>In earlier times, the big city fuelled dreams and aspirations of the youth and beckoned with the promise to ‘make it big’. The same city now seems stifling with matchbox homes, chaotic traffic, hectic schedules and cluttered living. The urban trapped millennials have been looking for breathers in their busy corporate lifestyles, often finding respite in trips along unchartered tracks. The lockdown and the opportunity of working from home has allowed them to consider an alternate to the city humdrum. As companies chose remote working as ‘business as usual’, the service sector employees chose to move ‘back home’ to smaller towns. What might have started as a prudent decision to save high rent expenses eventually seems to have translated into a more longer-term lifestyle adjustment. There is a conscious effort to recalibrate needs and wants as *59% believe that the pandemic helped them be more appreciative of what they already have. Many are stepping away from the tiring race to success and charting their own path for professional fulfilment, often trading off a heavier pay cheque for a fuller life. Much of the infrastructural development in India has been metro centric. The current trend offers a unique opportunity to reimagine our cities, our infrastructure, and mobility. Brands, on the other hand need to reinforce supply chains to avoid losing customers due to last mile connectivity gaps. (*Source: NICS 2021) 2. Seeking assurance in ‘ghar jaisa’ khana The pandemic has made consumers painfully sensitive about the importance of health and immunity. A more focused approach to individual health requirements, an increasing appreciation of the traditional diets and a growing interest in the functional benefits of our familiar kitchen ingredients are triggering conscious food choices. Consumers are seeking comfort in familiarity, especially in the times of turbulence. They are more mindful of what they eat and are willing to make an effort to table fresher meals, *72% prefer fresh home cooked food than the packaged with the fear of preservatives. If the meals are not from their own kitchen, they would prefer it from someone else’s to be assured of the hygiene and quality of ingredients, thus making home chefs a rage. ‘Bahar ka khana’ is not yet worry-free as *44% do not feel safe ordering food online these days. At the same time there is a growing awareness about mindful eating rituals such as slow eating, appreciation of what’s on the plate and a deeper consciousness of the emotional connect with food. With increasing importance to freshly cooked meals, consumers would be open to kitchen solutions in terms of ingredients or appliances that make ‘home-made’ easier. Additionally, the affinity towards ‘home like food’ will also guide what the food industry will offer in terms of offerings on restaurant menus. (*Source: NICS 2021) 3. Proactive upskilling According to the World Economic Forum, while the rapid evolution of machines in the workplace will displace 75 million jobs by 2022, it will also create 133 million new roles. As companies have been on their accelerated journey of digital transformation, the moot question has been whether the Indian workforce is ready for this change. Constant learning has become an imperative for workers to adapt to changing times and stay relevant. Through this volatility, upskilling has become the new insurance cover in the job market, ensuring stability in an unpredictable workplace disrupted by technology. Proactive self-learning through online courses has become the new norm for working professionals trying to stay employable as well as students gearing up to join the work force. *65% of learners upskilled to strengthen career prospects and *33% of learners were senior-level professionals. As both freshers and experienced employees become more conscious of the skill gap and lean in to bridge it, enrolments into online courses continue to exponentially grow. Proactive and consistent training and development led by employers will be increasingly critical, not only to keep the workforce equipped for the changing workplace, but also to ensure that employees are engaged and invested in the evolving business imperatives of the organisation. (*Source: Simplilearn’s State of Upskilling in 2021) 4. Exercising autonomy through gig work The Indian freelance job market gained rapid acceleration with the pandemic induced job instability. However, what started as a necessity, is now a carefully considered choice for many. The comfort of flexible work schedules, coupled with an apathy for the corporate workstyle has been holding freelancers from going back to full-time employment. On the other hand, the Great Resignation of the west is showing signs in India too. ***62% of India’s workforce has the intention of switching jobs this year, compared to an average of ***41% globally. Most gig workers value the potential for higher earnings and flexible timings in their choice of work and are happy to trade off a steady income and job stability in the bargain. Women looking for employment after a sabbatical have found freelancing to be the much-needed bridge to join back the workforce. The nature of freelance work has also evolved and gig working is not limited to factory or support function jobs. **70% of the Indian freelancers on their platform were working in core management functions. With 15 million freelancers, India is already the second largest gig market in the world. In the long term, the Indian gig economy has the potential to service up to *90 million jobs in India’s non-farm economy. India Inc. should make the most of this opportunity to absorb diverse work force and let them contribute professionally while taking care of their personal comfort. (*Source: BSG Report; Unlocking the Potential of the Gig Economy in India 2021 **Source: Flexingit Survey, 2021 ***Source: Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index) 5. Shrinking personal space with remote work Working from home had started with the promise of more comfort with workdays without travel and meetings without formals. Very soon this advantage was turned on its head as lines between work and personal life started blurring. Work expected you to be always on call and home assumed you were never away. Though remote work was expected to improve employee productivity, there is mounting evidence of increased burnout. **1 in 3 professionals in India feel burnt out due to increased workload and unmanageable stress. Professionals are seeking their personal space that has been squeezed between the responsibilities of home and work and they are looking forward to coming back to their workplace. *57% feel that commuting to their place of work would be a welcome relief after months of working from home. Corporate India has already taken cognizance of this situation and there have been measures to ease life in these times for employees. While focus has been on making work from home more convenient through virtual workplaces, organisations will also need to start rethinking their entire work models, culture, and values to ensure better mental health amongst the workforce. Employees are also learning to draw a line between personal and professional while operating from the same physical space. *Source: NICS 2021 **Source: Future of Work Perception Study by LinkedIn, 2021) 6. Yearning to get away from home Tired of being cooped up in their homes with social distancing norms, travel restrictions, people have been aching to step out of their homes. With the easing of mobility restrictions, restaurants are witnessing rising footfalls as Indian consumers making frequent visits to their favourite restaurants. Not only are consumers keen to experience a refreshing restaurant ambience rather than ordering in, the average order values have increased by *20%. Work from home restrictive lifestyles have also allowed some more disposable income which consumers are glad to spend outdoors as evident in luxury dining increasing by as much as *120%. Lockdown fatigue had resulted in strong pent-up demand which is fuelling unique trends of ‘getting away from home’. Travellers have started to rekindle their travel plans through weekend getaways and similar convenient means to escape from the challenging life of work-from-home stifling schedules. Considering the renewed emphasis on personal control over cleanliness and hygiene, travelers are looking for nearby locations for road trips. Staycations are also an emerging trend where people are checking into at luxurious hotels to rejuvenate themselves with a pampered weekend. With varying rules of social distancing as we witness new waves of the pandemic, consumers will learn to switch on and switch off their social lives but would always yearn to step out. As consumers continue to seek respite from house arrest yet again, by planning for getaways, dropping into restaurants for a meal or even choosing to work from coffee shops, the reassurance of sanitation and hygiene-related measures such us fully vaccinated staff would ensure that they keep coming back. (*Source: Report by Dineout) 7. Instagram is the new store Fuelled by India’s fast growing smartphone penetration and inexpensive data, social media access and engagement has been steadily growing. As the pandemic further accelerated the growth of the e-commerce, social commerce has emerged as a favoured means of online shopping. Making a purchase on social media has brought back the element of the shopping experience that shoppers miss in the online store environment. Discussions, direct messaging and video sharing features make social commerce closer to shopping in person. Consequently, social chatter is fast becoming an active driver of brand choice; while advertising manages to influence *38% towards a brand, *41% tend to be swayed by comments or reviews posted on social media. Riding on social word-of-mouth, today there are social commerce shoppers, account for **53% of total online shoppers in India. Stepping ahead of dynamic customer engagement, social commerce has proved to be an effective and affordable channel for smaller businesses. This channel has also presented a cost-effective alternative for larger businesses and brands reeling under the pressure of mounting <a href="https://www.ey.com/en_in/consulting/customer-engagement">customer acquisition</a> costs and struggling to protect these precious customers from competitors wooing them endlessly with deep discounts. *Source: NICS 2021 **Source: Report by WATConsult, Isobar) 8. Beauty goes beyond skin deep The pandemic brought hand hygiene to the forefront where consumers reacted out of fear without having the time or opportunity to make well thought through choices. The scenario however is vastly different today with consumers making well researched choices in personal care and are realising its significance of self-care more than ever. With virtual workplaces and limited social engagement, there is no mad rush to show up looking one’s best and people are moving towards a more sustainable self-care practice grounded in nature, health and wellness. There is an increasing positive disposition towards slowing down through daily self-care rituals. A stark contrast to the fast-paced world of the beauty industry that sells us quick fixes, cover ups and immediate results. Consumers have become extremely conscious about taking care of their bodies, and not just for the purpose of looking good. Fewer people are insisting on stepping out of home with make up (*30% vs. *49% last year) and declining interest towards cosmetic surgeries (*17% vs. *48% last year). The millennials especially have become acutely conscious of the long-term benefits of personal care regimes. What started as an obsession for sanitisers and hand-washes, has now gradually moved towards conscious choices of personal care, personal hygiene and wellness products. Brands need to be cognizant of shift in consumer choices towards personal care and grooming and cater to this growing affinity towards sustained self-care through their product solutions as well as communication of benefits.’ (*Source: NICS 2021) 9. True inclusion finding a voice among the youth Consumers are being drawn towards brands that embrace diversity and advocate causes that support social equity. The generation Z, being at the forefront of this movement, are evaluating brands with a conscientious looking glass. These globally connected consumers are constantly absorbing information and influences to make brand choices. They deeply value freedom of expression and the openness to accept different kinds of people and bluntly call out brands for stereotyping or alluding to any kind of discrimination. This generation is also taking active steps to make a change around them *36% of Indian Gen Z educated themselves on diversity and inclusion matters and *37% tried to educate and change the views of those around them. *22% of Gen Zs have boycotted a company because they didn’t agree to its views or actions. There have been examples of inclusive marketing countering stereotypes to create a vision that consumers can resonate with and embrace. There has been a shift in advertising campaigns featuring stories of real people told with a sensitivity that has found favour with consumers. Brands looking to engage this generation will need to extend their efforts beyond mere lip service. Just dressing brand communication with diverse imagery will not be enough. To stay relevant, brands need to embed diversity in their organisational culture as well as in their product development endeavours. (*Source: Deloitte 2021 Millennial and Gen Z study) 10. Collective consciousness towards sustainability The pandemic has been a wake-up call; consumers are now acutely aware of the cumulative damage caused to the environment by human carelessness and are eager to ‘make good.’ *76% pay lot of attention to environmental and societal issue in the news. Increasing awareness and heightened consciousness have paved the way for more mindful living where consumers are seeking to coexist with nature and the environment. *77% are prepared to invest time and money to support companies that do good and while shopping *64% consumers factor in sustainability atleast once in a while. Sustainable actions that people are most willing to take today like reducing food waste, saving energy are those that have been part of the Indian ethos for generations. Yet, there are gaps between intentions and actions as most shoppers buying on autopilot are focused on saving money rather than the planet. Further, they don’t often have enough information about how sustainable products are different and the impact they make on our environment. Brands can fuel these actions by increasing awareness about the use of green energy in their production process, making it easier to recycle, incentivizing consumers and making it convenient for them to buy sustainable products. (*Source: Kantar Sustainability Foundational Report 21)

10 themes that define how consumers are preparing themselves for 2022 as per Kantar

<ul><li>From inventory to delivery, the home chef business is fraught with many issues and uncertainties. </li><li>Finding a reliable delivery vendor requires a lot of patience and multiple attempts before honing in on one.</li><li>No longer is it just the biriyani or butter chicken, the sheer variety available often puts the best restaurants to shame.</li></ul> Not so long ago, the only reason people ordered food was to take a break from boring old 'ghar ka khana' (homemade food). However, the pandemic brought with it a rekindling of love for the same items most of us wanted to get away from. That said, the past year has also seen an evolution of sorts of the kind of cuisines home chefs have embraced and have to offer. No longer is it just the biriyani or butter chicken, the sheer variety available often puts the best restaurants to shame. From homemade shepherd's pie to pork belly with tingmo to creatively decorated blueberry-vanilla in American buttercream cake, the offerings are beautifully varied. The business models are diverse — from <keyword id="2067878" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-cooks">home cooks</keyword> sharing their daily menus on their residential colony WhatsApp groups to operating entirely out of social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. Then there are those who are happy to get rid of the added burden of marketing, delivery etc., all together and prefer to outsource it to companies like <keyword id="8248012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Homefoodi">Homefoodi</keyword> or <keyword id="10926000" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Conosh">Conosh</keyword>. "For me, the moment you put numbers into something you love, it takes the fun out of it. I am lucky enough to be able to concentrate on the fun part of cooking while my husband helps to bring some method to this madness by taking care of everything else, for now. But given how painful the business and backend side of it can be, I would definitely be more than happy to outsource that part of the operations," says Tarannum Sehgal, whose full-time role is in a Michelin Kitchen in South of France, but she started her venture T-Pop! In Delhi to bide her time while she waits for her restaurant to open in April. Conosh, a company co-owned by three friends Anshumala, Neha and Vaibhav, is basically a conduit between home chefs and foodies. Before the pandemic hit, the primary way they would do so was by setting up pop-up kitchens in the homes of chefs, but since that was no longer possible in 2020, they tweaked their offerings to include marketing and delivery services to home chefs as well as offering workshops with master chefs like <keyword id="1426431" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gary-Mehigan">Gary Mehigan</keyword>, Sashi Chelia, <keyword id="973254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranveer-Brar">Ranveer Brar</keyword>, and <keyword id="4829" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kunal-Kapur">Kunal Kapur</keyword> to home chefs who were keen on sharpening their skills. Conosh now has over 800 chefs and has delivered to over 15,000 customers in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. While the idea of starting a home kitchen sounds ideal, the journey is far from easy. From inventory to delivery, the home chef business is fraught with many issues and uncertainties. Some of which were either exasperated or even solved during the pandemic. <div type="image" title="Double cooked pork belly" msid="81494745" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Double cooked pork belly&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The kitchen-to-mouth conundrum Delivery is a key element most home chefs have trouble negotiating. And while there were a plethora of companies who started offering delivery services at competitive prices during the pandemic, finding a reliable vendor requires a lot of patience and multiple attempts before honing in on one. Nicole Juneja and her mum Kusuma Juneja started their venture, Mood, back in 2018. Initially, they operated purely on the takeaway model, but the pandemic forced them to change their stance and start delivering food. "While the lockdown helped us grow our business, in fact, it was our best year ever, a key challenge we faced was trying to figure out the logistics, which is primarily the deliveries. It's hard to find a reliable partner," says Juneja. <div type="image" title="Vanilla fairy cakes" msid="81494875" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vanilla fairy cakes&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Can't have your cake and eat it too Business Insider spoke to Anshumala, one of the co-founders of Conosh, who tells us that while the pandemic saw a surge in both home chefs and consumers, the one thing the consumers often gripe over is the price. "Diners particularly talk about the prices and they compare it to restaurant food. However, it cannot be directly compared to restaurant food for a variety of reasons. The first and the most obvious ones are obviously because these guys are working on a much smaller scale, and they're making everything fresh so they don't have the economies of scale like restaurant kitchens. Also, as an example, we have a home chef called Sumitra who specialises in Andhra Brahmin food in Bangalore and she travels to Vishakhapatnam to get some of her ingredients in order to maintain the authenticity of the food she offers. So, of course, the cost of her offering will be higher than a restaurant's." Recipe for growth — limit your orders "While the lockdown definitely helped us expand our business, increasing our scale makes you realise the limitations of a home kitchen. And you do have to set an upper limit for orders and things like that, just because there's only that much space and equipment," Juneja tells us. Along with that, there was the issue of little or no additional help in terms of staff, especially during the lockdown that made operations so much harder for home chefs. <div type="image" title="Christmas rum fruit cake" msid="81494895" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Christmas rum fruit cake&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The not-so-palatable cost? Touching upon the point raised by Anshumala, the mere fact that home chefs operate on a smaller scale, their cost of ingredients is also much higher. Plus, what sets them apart is the fact that they use the best and most authentic ingredients that don't come cheap. "While the cost to deliver items may have reduced a notch, the material and packaging costs have also shot up, which, in turn, has led me to charge more. Plus, earlier, I used to go to wholesale markets to get the raw materials that I can no longer do thanks to the pandemic, which has impacted my costs," says Shweta Andrews, founder of Bakes Ahoy, a business specialising in artisanal and premium baked goods. Fill out a few forms before you do the filling In November 2020, the government made it mandatory for all home chefs who have a turnover of ₹12 lakh and above to have a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (<keyword id="154680" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="FSSAI">FSSAI</keyword>) registration number. Failure to do so could result in a fine of ₹5 lakhs or face jail time. But while most imagined this would be a huge pain, it really isn't. All you have to do is log into the website, submit a few documents, and pay a nominal sum and within 2-4 weeks, the job is done. However, in June 2020, FSSAI launched a new cloud-based food safety compliance online platform called <a target="_blank" href="https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/" class="editor-rtfLink">Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS)</a>, which will eventually replace the current Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS). "FoSCoS is conceptualised to provide one point stop for all engagement of an FBO [Food Business Operators] with the department for any regulatory compliance transaction," according to the government <a target="_blank" href="https://fssai.gov.in/upload/press_release/2020/06/5ed4be98c59aaPress_Release_FoSCoS_01_06_2020.pdf" class="editor-rtfLink">press release</a>. This system will be launched in a phased manner, and Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Odisha, Manipur, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Ladakh are a part of the first phase. If you live in these states, it will be prudent to register with FoSCoS at a nominal fee of ₹100 per year even if your turnover is not as much under the 'Petty Food Business Operators' section. Feeling the heat With thousands joining the army of home chefs, the competition has multiplied, leading to everyone trying out new methods to woo clients -- from sending personalised notes to offering special Onam Sadya meal boxes with all the fixins' including a banana leaf and directions on how to arrange the food items. "Because the competition is so stiff, I continuously have to come up with new ideas and designs for cakes, which is a good thing because I learn more and improve my skills," however, Andrews adds, "now that there are thousands of home bakers in the market, I now have to put in money on Instagram and Facebook to promote myself."

Many home chef businesses are tasting success in India, but it's not a cakewalk

<ul><li>In a difficult year, <keyword id="5968693" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="wavemaker-india">Wavemaker India</keyword>'s performance, according to its CEO, <keyword id="4337750" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ajay-gupte">Ajay Gupte</keyword> has been A+, and understandably so. In a year when many agencies are struggling, <keyword id="3313068" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wavemaker">Wavemaker</keyword> India has won new businesses worth Rs 700 crore.</li><li>In a conversation with Ad &amp; Media Insider, Gupte discusses the year almost gone by and also looks back at the last 3 years, on the agency's 3rd anniversary.</li></ul>The year 2020 has been a difficult year for not just the advertising industry but the world in general. A recent report by KPMG stated that India’s media and entertainment (M&amp;E) sector will take till 2022 to recover from its current levels. However, there are a few organizations and agencies that took the challenge head on. They innovated, acted with agility and made the most of an otherwise challenging year. It’s been 3 years since GroupM merged its agencies MEC and Maxus into Wavemaker. Since its inception, Wavemaker has been able to win an enviable roster of clients that include <keyword id="6398864" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mondelez">Mondelez</keyword>, Vi and Mother Dairy, among many others. Moreover, the agency also clocked in new businesses worth Rs 700 crore. Some of the newly won accounts included Sun Pharma, Chumbak, <keyword id="10247458" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="religare-healthcare-insurance">Religare Healthcare Insurance</keyword> (now Care Health Insurance), Lido learning, Glance and Supr Daily. On the agency’s 3rd anniversary, we caught up with Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker who took over the reins after Kartik Sharma moved on from the agency early this year. It’s been an eventful year for both him and the agency and he walks us through all that happened at Wavemaker and how the agency managed to win Rs 700 crore worth of new business in such a tumultuous year. Excerpts: Q) Let's look back at what has been a very difficult year for the world in general. How has Wavemaker fared during this adverse year? Yes, it has been a very difficult year for all of us. The year has been tough on business and on our people. No one has ever experienced being in such a lockdown before, so everyone is trying to grapple with this phenomenon in the best way possible. We’ve made concentrated efforts to take advantage of adversity to accelerate on the journey to achieve our ambitions. In many ways, Covid-19 has brought the future closer. The consumer journey has been altered. Digital plays a much more integral role from brand discovery to purchase. This has enabled us to bring into play the investments we have made in better understanding the consumer journey, in delivering meaningful engagement with the consumer and in effecting purchase. I am hugely proud of the team for showcasing great agility and acclimatizing to the changes. The year wouldn’t have been easy without the support and trust shown by our clients and partners. Despite being such a tough year, Wavemaker India has managed to clock in new business worth Rs 700+ crore. What more could we ask for! Q) You took the reins as the CEO of the agency in one of the most challenging years in recent times. What were your key focus areas and your strategies that helped minimize the impact of the pandemic on the agency's numbers? I do like to look at things positively. Looking back at the year, I think I’ve achieved what I couldn’t otherwise achieve in the normal scheme of life. I was able to meet a large number of our clients (although virtually) within these 6 months. It would have otherwise taken me more than a year to meet our entire client roster. I’ve regularly interacted with our team across the country, which would have been otherwise very difficult, had we to do this in person. So I would say we have been able to make the most of what was dished out to us. As Wavemaker, we believe in investing in capabilities to build tools which will help us and our clients grow. Automation, analytics, data &amp; technology, digital are some of the key areas where we have been investing continuously. These investments have proven effective as 2020 has altered the consumer journey to a large extent. However, we were able to navigate through these changes and offer appropriate solutions to clients to engage with the consumer along their purchase journey. The work we have done in this year has helped us add that much more value to our clients, thereby strengthening our relationship with them. Q) There has been a lot of movement when it comes to the leadership team in Wavemaker. Kishan Kumar MS, Premjeet Sodhi, <keyword id="2932055" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vishal-Jacob">Vishal Jacob</keyword> and Mac Machiach have taken over key roles. What are your expectations from this power-packed team? You have rightly termed the team as power-packed and I’m quite fortunate to have such a great team. A highly experienced leadership team is the biggest asset of any agency and I am glad we have the best minds leading Wavemaker. The mandate given and expectations are very clear – keep, growing by positively provoking ourselves, our clients and our partners. Investing in the right talent, nurturing the existing talent along with providing cutting edge solutions to our clients to help them grow is the focal point of our business and offerings. The team needs to keep this at the essence of everything they do. Q) Wavemaker completed 3 years. What have some of the agency's biggest milestones been so far? We have had many milestones in this last 3 years. Right from winning Agency of the year in 2018 at Emvies and winning client of the year for Vodafone for 2 consecutive years in 2017 and 2018 at EMVIEs have been one of the most memorable moments for us. We also launched the Content Effectiveness lab with Ogilvy, launched the first-ever influencer marketing offering ‘Thrive’. We created some great analytical tools like Athena, the budget optimizer tool created by our analytics team for L’Oréal which has been highly appreciated by the client and our global teams. Q) Give us a report card for Wavemaker in 2020. How would you rate your performance so far, in terms of new account wins, the quality of work and overall performance? If I have to rate the performance of Wavemaker in 2020, I would rate it A+. We have brought our capabilities in data, analytics, content and Technology to the fore by doing some fantastic work for our clients. Very happy with the way the teams have been able to rally together for our clients bringing in learnings from all over the world and using our tools with insights and recommendations to support our clients in this time. Additionally, winning new business worth Rs 700+ crore in an exceptionally tough year like this has been a phenomenal performance. We’ve bagged new accounts like Sun Pharma, Chumbak, Religare Healthcare Insurance (now Care Health Insurance), Lido learning, Glance, Supr Daily and many more. We have also won the e-commerce mandate for Mondelez. Additionally we’re hoping to hear some more positive news in the last 2 months of 2020. I couldn’t have asked for anything more than this in a year when the world is grappling with challenges and trying to keep business sentiments high. Q) Tell us about some of the work done this year so far that you are proud of. We have been extremely proud of the work we have rolled out in this year. Creating engaging content campaigns for our clients was one of the highlights and we have done it exceptionally well. Some of our noteworthy campaigns are ‘Maa ka Haath Ka Khana’ with the famous stand-up comedian <keyword id="10247459" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="zaakir-khan">Zaakir Khan</keyword> for Mother Dairy, Thank You campaign for <keyword id="570619" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cadbury-Dairy-Milk">Cadbury Dairy Milk</keyword> Silk, Myntra Fashion Super star, Iss Saal Har Ghar Pandal for Gemini Oil to the latest <keyword id="6399124" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="cadbury">Cadbury</keyword> Celebrations to help the local businesses which suffered during the pandemic. Also we are hugely proud of the amazing work done for the launch of Vi! All these great pieces of work have been pulled off successfully while the teams were working remotely. Q) In today's environment, what does it take to become an agency of the future? In today’s VUCA world, it’s difficult to always predict the future but we can prepare for it. 2020 has been a real test of agility and collaboration. Investing in data and technology to deliver effective solutions with the consumer at the centre is key. Also absolutely essential is the investment in automation to ensure that the basics of implementation and reporting are efficient and error-free, allowing talent to focus on brand requirements. Q) The lockdown also led to some great innovations. How have you as an agency innovated in the past 7 months to ensure you have an edge? Our digital and tech teams have been constantly working on devising newer modules for clients that will help them connect better with their consumers. The initial phase of the lockdown got us all thinking and reassessing our business plans and we have sharpened our capabilities in data and analytics and technology. We have implemented several path-breaking innovations for our clients too. One such innovative product we launched for one of our clients was an online platform to allow the client to train and equip their on-ground support team across the country. The product was developed within 10 days and implemented by the client at a lightning speed as that was the need of the hour. Q) As we inch towards 2021, what will your key focus areas be as a leader? Our focus will always be on our clients, our people and our product. We will remain<a name="_GoBack"></a> to build on our capabilities while we will continue to positively provoke ourselves, our clients and our partners. Upskilling our capabilities and training our talent will be a high focus area. We will continue to invest and enhance our capabilities in e-commerce, content, data, analytics, technology and measurement. In early 2020, we announced Positive Provocation as our proposition and backed it with our Operating system which consists of three major aspects – Unlock, Transform and Maximise. We will ensure every Wavemaker is equipped to Positively Provoke our clients to maximise growth.

I would rate Wavemaker's performance in 2020 A+: Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker

Sometimes to make food your living, all you need is a kitchen. 
 <keyword id="6358977" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swiggy">Swiggy</keyword>, which is an home-delivery food startup is helping you and many other realize that dream. 
 Since Swiggy operates an independent fleet of delivery executives connecting restaurants and customers, users can order without any minimum order limitation and can also track their orders. Swiggy delivers in eight cities--Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, <keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword>, and Chennai--with over 10,000 restaurants listed on its platform. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/docsapp-will-connect-rural-india-to-doctors-within-30-minutes/articleshow/56625068.cms">ALSO READ: DocsApp will connect rural India to doctors within 30 minutes</a> 
 
The platform allows master chefs spread flavors without worrying about seating arrangements and real estate cost. They can focus on their core competency which is cooking good food. 
 
Whether you live to eat or eat to live, Swiggy offers a spread from fine-dine to Ghar-ka-khana. Many hole-in-the-wall food joints consider plugging and play on Swiggy. These restaurants are pretty famous in the locale but get limited by seating space or by low marketing spends. Swiggy extends their reach and potential. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/budget-2017-china-is-still-far-ahead-of-india-when-it-comes-to-startups/articleshow/56628904.cms">ALSO READ: China is still far ahead of India when it comes to Startups</a> 
 
It is a known fact that restaurants don’t sell food, they sell an experience and those who can crack the code between flavors and decor can be successful in building a loyal customer base. 
 <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword> talked to two flourishing food businesses that work with Swiggy to understand how they’re leveraging this platform to its full potential. <keyword id="4078717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="joseph-cherien">Joseph Cherien</keyword> from 48 East which is an online restaurant based out of <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> said that Swiggy really helped to get his business to new heights, ‘’In the past four months since we opened Swiggy has helped us get 20% of our orders. Swiggy has helped us reach all parts of the city without much investment.’’ 
 Another chef- <keyword id="9999" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suresh">Suresh</keyword> from Leon’s Grill who started his own venture, found Swiggy to be helpful when he decided to go online with his already existing restaurant in Bengaluru. ‘’’We wanted to reach more people and expand, but instead of opening another restaurant, we went online to look for customers. Swiggy really helped us and so much so, that now 50% of our online orders come from the platform. We never thought we could reach so many people so easily.’’ 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/budget-2017-one-year-on-heres-startup-india-compared-to-startup-america/articleshow/56598767.cms">ALSO READ: One year on, here's Startup India compared to Startup America</a> 
 
Suresh said that Swiggy is also efficient and pays the restaurants in a week for the order which doesn’t eat into their running expenditure. 
The internet is a stage, and the start-ups are turning out be great players.

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