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<ul><li>The film celebrates the ‘masaledaar’ taste of Kurkure.</li><li>It is conceptualised by <keyword id="7067090" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wunderman-thompson" source="Orion">Wunderman Thompson</keyword>.</li></ul> Kurkure has unveiled a film featuring Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and actress <keyword id="689826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="samantha-ruth-prabhu" source="Orion">Samantha Ruth Prabhu</keyword>. This film is a part of the larger ‘Ab Laga Masala’ campaign that captures Kurkure as a ‘chatpata’ anytime snack that adds an element of ‘masti’ and quirkiness to the daily lives of its consumers. Being the family-entertainer throughout its two-decade-long journey, the original Indian snack brand Kurkure has been changing the landscape of salty snacks with its innovative product formats and flavour profiles across collet, puffed, and namkeens – disrupting not only the domestic but also the international markets with its ‘masaledaar’ offerings and quirky storytelling. <div type="Youtube" id="tsgOYyakBv0" title="Kurkure ka chatpata twist, koi nahi kar payega resist." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tsgOYyakBv0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> In the film, Akshay plays a thief who breaks into Samantha’s house in the middle of the night and gets distracted when he sees a packet of Kurkure kept in the kitchen cabinet. Just as he is about to open the packet, Samantha and her family catch him red-handed and snatch the pack from his hands to eat Kurkure themselves, then offering him as well. Forgetting his initial intention to rob the house and with no fear of being caught, Akshay, who is already eager to munch on the snack, readily obliges. Needless to say, Kurkure’s ‘masaledaar’ flavour sends Akshay into a ‘maha-flavourful’ bliss, until reality hits and greets him with the sound of police sirens on the way to the house. Sharing his thoughts, Akshay Kumar said, “Be it for my movies or my ads, I’ve always strived to create extraordinary moments for my fans, and Kurkure has been perfect at bringing out the quirky yet extraordinary side of me. It’s always fun to play an entertaining character that can transform dull moments into memorable ones with a 'masaledaar’ kick.” Speaking about the new film, Neha Prasad, Associate Director – Brand Marketing Kurkure, PepsiCo India, said, “Kurkure has a special place in the heart of Indian consumers with its iconic flavour and ‘tedha’ persona. The brand has the ability to portray unconventional yet relatable modern Indian family scenarios through its quirky, over-the-top storytelling that transforms any boring moment with family and friends into an entertaining one. Through this film, we want to intensify the brand love and celebrate the iconic flavour of India’s favourite ‘masaledaar’ snack. We are confident that our latest blockbuster combination of Akshay’s exuberant energy and Kurkure’s ‘masti’ will be an eccentric and compelling experience for the fans.” Expressing her thoughts on the campaign, Ritu Nakra, Senior Vice President, Wunderman Thompson, “Daily life can be such a routine and boring when there is no ‘masaledar’ twist... but with Kurkure Masala Munch, the ‘masala’ hit in each collet unleashes full-on drama in every situation. Watch how the spicey tangy and ‘chatpata’ flavours ka hit make Akshay a mast chor in the new ad campaign for the brand.”

Kurkure's new campaign with Akshay Kumar adds a quirky twist to a heist

<ul><li>As the country continues to stay put and spend more time with their families, there is an increase in demand for snacks. </li><li><keyword id="5948549" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dilen-Gandhi">Dilen Gandhi</keyword>, Sr. Director and Category Head- Foods, <keyword id="110163" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo-India">PepsiCo India</keyword> tells us how difficult the lockdown period was for <keyword id="54572" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">Pepsico</keyword>'s <keyword id="115385" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kurkure">Kurkure</keyword> and how it plans to leverage on the current rise in-home consumption for snacks.</li></ul>The pandemic-infused lockdown has affected consumers’ lifestyle and behaviours to a great extent. From what they watch to what they eat, consumers' priorities have completely changed. Albeit, it did bring along a silver lining as it gave them an opportunity to spend more quality time, reconnect and rediscover moments of togetherness with their families. Among many other things, the new normal has affected people’s snacking habits, which has now become more of a family bonding exercise than a personal activity. As a result, packaged food products like Lay’s and Kurkure -- that can be binged on while working, watching content or during weekend watch parties with your family -- have seen an uptick in demand for in-home consumption. PepsiCo’s Kurkure has not only seen its penetration in the country increase due to the lockdown, consumers are also ordering it more frequently and in larger packs. According to Kurkure’s recent study, 80% of the families surveyed have started snacking together. It has become a family bonding activity during these challenging times. To leverage the rising demand for in-home snacking, Kurkure launched a campaign earlier this month to capture how Indian families share an amazing bond in their own ‘atpata’ and ‘chatpata’ ways. <div type="Youtube" id="kf5UmRc3PYA" title="An Ode to Chatpati Indian Families | #ChatpataShukriya" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kf5UmRc3PYA/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Kurkure’s supply chain is also up and running now and has almost come to the normal levels to meet the demand. We caught up with Dilen Gandhi, Sr. Director and Category Head- Foods, PepsiCo India to understand what kind of changes has he observed in consumer behaviour during COVID, how is the snacking category evolving with time and what has adjusting in the new normal taught him. Experts: Q. We are living in unprecedented times today. How is Pepsico's Kurkure sailing through these challenging times? The nationwide lockdown imposed various challenges for businesses across industries. But with the world gradually coming back to normal, businesses and brands have been innovating and implementing new ways of working in today’s times. Changed consumer preferences led to an increase in demand of online deliveries, especially of food and other essentials. One of the key initiatives we took was to partner with delivery services such as Swiggy and Dunzo to meet in the increasing in home demand and support smaller business. Our associations with Swiggy and Dunzo, helped us deliver our products, such as Kurkure and LAY’S to our consumers. This further helped us strengthen our direct-to-home services. We have also been using this time to double-up on market research, helping us always have a finger on the pulse of our consumers. Our findings and internal surveys have helped shape our latest campaign, which aims to express gratitude towards Indian families for their continued support towards each other during difficult times. Kurkure’s latest campaign is an ode to the Indian families and thanks them for always being supportive, entertaining, and adding ‘masaledaar fun’ to each other’s lives. Q. What kind of changes in demand have you witnessed lately? As people have been adjusting to the ‘new normal’, in-home consumption has witnessed a significant uptake. We have witnessed a jump in both penetration and frequency of our food category. There has been a growing demand for our larger packs as in-home occasions have increased manifold. While the consumers are looking at in-home experiences and seeking convenience, they are also looking at value. We have also introduced various combo packs for our food portfolio creating and further driving in-home consumption. Q. How have you observed consumer behaviour changing during COVID in the snacking industry? The current situation requires brands to constantly evaluate the consumer experience and challenges being faced by them. During this time people sought moments of joy and togetherness with brands became the perfect companions in those moments. Several studies have shown that consumers are reassured by positive brand actions and commitments. This has underscored the need for the brands to be more purpose-driven than ever before. Thereby, making it essential to build genuine, empathetic, and transparent communication, which focuses on offering solutions rather than hard-core promotion. Besides Kurkure, even for LAY’S and Quaker our first communication was purpose-driven and the response we have received has been very encouraging. Q. How did you tweak your marketing strategy to resonate with the consumers in the current challenging situation? These unprecedented times gave rise to a ‘new-normal’ world and also altered the rules of a marketer’s playbook. Consumers today believe in brands that make a difference. A number of recent studies have shown that brands should not act alone – instead, they should join forces with others and contribute to the cause collaboratively. We are keeping a close eye on evolving trends of consumer behaviour and redefining our brand strategies accordingly. Keeping the above in mind, we launched Kurkure’s Thanks To Indian Families, wherein we leveraged increased in-home consumption and families spending more quality time together. Q. Your recent campaign tries to leverage on in-home consumption. Tell us a bit about why you decided to change your focus? What does your overall communication strategy look like now? Earlier this month, Kurkure launched a campaign to express gratitude towards millions of Indian families for their continued support and for entertaining each other in their own ‘atpata’ and ‘chatpata’ ways during these challenging times. The new campaign is based on three key insights. The cultural insight of how India has been known for its family - centric setup, the social insight - which recognizes the deepened bond, uptick in family time and increased connect between family members during the lockdown phase, and the consumer insight which identifies people's need to express themselves in fun and quirky ways. These insights fit well with Kurkure as the brand has always been about fun times with family in its trademark ‘quirky and full of masti’. It aims to capture the nuances of the relationship that all family members share with each other and celebrates how they have kept one another upbeat even during these times. Going forward, the strategy will be to continue leveraging insights and purpose-driven storytelling and communicating through a mix of channels, led by digital. Q. Is your supply chain up and running completely? Our Supply chains are very close to normal levels. All our food plants are functional at this point of time while maintaining the highest standards of safety. Q. Have you partnered with any e-comm players or delivery partners to bolster your sales? In the last few months, consumers have been seeking more from the safety of their homes which has contributed to the increased relevance of e-commerce platforms. Keeping the consumer’s requirements in mind, PepsiCo has strengthened its relationship with the e-Grocers like Big Basket, Amazon PepsiCo has partnered with Swiggy and Dunzo to ensure uninterrupted availability of our brands, such as Kurkure and LAY’S to consumers across locations. Our tie-up with Dunzo has been encouraging, with safe delivery-on-demand and fulfilling our promise of last-mile-delivery. We are now working in scaling the model and expanding it to other states. Q. Did you come up with any out-of-the-box solutions to adjust to the new normal? We have a big out of the box campaign announcement coming soon. Do watch out the space. Q. As a leader, what were your learnings from this time? As a marketing leader, these times have reinforced 2 central beliefs I’ve long held. Consumers will always reward brands who deliver to their needs – right now consumers are looking for brands to take actions that are authentic and true to the core of the brand. The other is that consumers are incredibly resilient and will look to brands that can share that positivity, albeit in a genuine manner.

Kurkure witnesses a jump in penetration and order frequency as in-home consumption rises

<ul><li>Lay’s Wafer Style mimics the crunchy papad to turn into a ‘meal must-have’</li><li>Lay’s will be adding to a long list of traditional South Indian snacks like murukku, banana chips and <keyword id="1871379" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="tapioca">tapioca</keyword> chips</li><li>They recently launched <keyword id="115385" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kurkure">Kurkure</keyword> Masala Munch with gingelly oil which is used in South India</li></ul><keyword id="54572" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">PepsiCo</keyword> has built its Lay’s brand in India by experimenting with Indian flavours, adding in as many ‘local’ tastes as possible. During this process, the company discovered that they can bite into the South Indian market much easily as chips and wafers are a part of the meal, unlike anywhere else in the country. “Our Southern consumers love a delightful crunch and texture on their plate. Their meal is incomplete with the taste and crunch of the popular chilli or pepper papad,” explained Dilen Gandhi, Sr Director, Marketing – Foods category, PepsiCo India. The company launched a new product called Lay’s Wafer Style which mimics the crunchy papad, and turn into a ‘meal must-have’. Pepsi has decided to put more muscle into marketing and innovating in a growth market like India. This is one of the few markets for the global major, with ‘double digit’ growth, Pepsi said in its annual report. The company does not provide nation-wise growth numbers. Overall, the snacks business has been growing at 5% for the cola major, contributed heavily by growth in India and China. Tea-time to meal-time In South India, the market is wider and better. Everywhere else in the country, snacks are a tea-time affair but being an integral part of every meal can increase their volume and also regularize sales. Their latest venture is to supplant a traditional fried and homemade pappadam, and integrate into South Indian meals. “Lay’s Wafer Style will prove to be the perfect companion to their traditional Sambhar rice (lentil stew rice), Rasam Rice (soupy rice), Dal Rice (lentil rice), Curd Rice, Lemon (flavoured) rice, or Palak Pappu Rice (Spinach lentil rice),” said Gandhi. This product has been launched across a range of salt and chilly flavours. Many states, many flavours The South market is as broad as it is deep. The chips and snacks market is extremely fragmented with local brands at every nook and corner especially in South India. Lays will be adding to a long list of traditional snacks right from murukku to banana chips to tapioca chips amongst others. They will also have to compete with makers who has mastered the needs of the market for years. For this global player, these new products are a step in that direction, competing with the price and taste of a multitude of localized players. Pepsi claims that their products have been received well in this market. They have recently launched Kurkure Masala Munch with gingelly oil which is the most used oil in South India. The American food and beverage company has managed to identify a sweet spot common across the five states of Southern India. This strategy of customizing their products to suit local tastes across this diverse country, is not limited to South alone. They will be taking up more such products deep into the various flavours across India. “Wherever we see an opportunity for a local connect with consumers, we have been and will continue to customise our offerings accordingly,” Gandhi said. With Indian subcontinent that has a multitude of needs, expanding in variety is the need of the hour; which is something Pepsi has learnt in the last 30 years of its operations in India.

Lemon rice and Lay’s wafers: Pepsi hits a spice spot in South India

They say, trouble never comes alone and <keyword id="75190" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nestle">Nestle</keyword> is the proof. And this time Maggi will not get a respite in 2 minutes. After excess lead was found by government food-testing agencies through lab tests, yesterday a Nestle made baby food product, Nan, in <keyword id="20154" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword> was found to be containing live larvae. 
 
Hitting an all time low in Sensex and Nifty for consecutive two days, Nestle’s sale has tanked further down on reports of its contaminated baby food formula. 
 
And Nestle’s devastation being an example, both international and domestic food production companies are gearing up to avoid any such rotten situation in near future. As per a news report by The Economic Times, these brands are preparing to limit any collateral damage by declaring more ingredient details on packaging, highlighting product safety in ads and increasing engagement with consumers through social media. 
 Last 24 hours being more traumatic for Nestle than ever before-the <keyword id="6354952" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Government">Delhi government</keyword> has found samples of Maggi noodles to contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) and more than the permitted quantity of lead. It has decided to begin proceedings against the company for selling an unsafe product as well as 'misbranding' 
The Kerala government has banned the sale of the product through state-owned outlets. Haryana has ordered laboratory testing of samples. 
 The <keyword id="109212" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Food-Safety">Food Safety</keyword> and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), <keyword id="222693" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-National">the national</keyword> food regulator, is examining samples of Maggi noodles and is expected to report results in a few days. 
 
As Maggi is undergoing a horrific phase, other food companies are preparing how to cope with this issue, which has once again brought food safety to the centre stage. 
 "You never know which <keyword id="242659" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-inspector">food inspector</keyword> will come next and examine our products in which part of the country. We have to be best prepared for something like this," the CEO of a multinational food giant told the ET on condition of anonymity. Some companies have already swung into action. <keyword id="44672" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pepsi">Pepsi</keyword>Co, which makes the Pepsi and Mountain Dew fizzy drinks and Kurkure snacks, has stepped up communication with consumers through packaging and social media, said an executive. 
 Mayank Shah, group product <keyword id="2682154" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="manager-at-the-country">manager at the country</keyword>'s biggest biscuit maker <keyword id="235733" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parle-Products">Parle Products</keyword>, said the episode served as a warning for all food makers. "With new guidelines on food safety expected, we are planning to engage with consumers a lot more and talk to them consistently through ads and declarations, instead of waiting for something like this to happen. It's critical to keep communication with key stakeholders constant and transparent," he said. 
 
There have been times in the past when controversies relating to food safety have taken a toll on the industry. Soft drinks sale fell by almost 70-80% after pesticide residue was found in them in the mid-2000s. Similarly, sales of Cadbury chocolates dropped by more than half over contamination issues in 2003. 
 The <keyword id="162481" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing-head">marketing head</keyword> of a global foods firm, who didn't want to be named, told the ET, there was an urgent need to be better prepared. "We are preparing point-of-sale material to be supplied at stores, where we will have banners declaring the ingredients in our products. We plan to insert one liners in our ads, talking about safety and health, and not just taste," he said. 
 Yum Brand's general manager <keyword id="2881197" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unnat-Verma">Unnat Verma</keyword> told the financial daily, his restaurant chains will engage more closely with consumers on the issue of product safety. Yum Brands owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. 
 
Retail trade executives have confirmed that sales of Maggi noodles dropped 60-70% in the past two weeks. "Consumer offtake has been severely impacted. Maggi noodles is barely moving off shelves. Promotions don't seem to be working too," said one. 
 (Image: <keyword id="-101" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-Times">India Times</keyword>)

Maggi’s soup turns sour and bitter! Nestle’s baby food formula Nan found with live larvae

<ul><li>In the last few years, we have seen many brands become more environment-friendly. There has been an increasing focus on sustainability. </li><li>Globally, brands like Diageo, Unilever Limited have started reevaluating their packaging to put the environment first. </li><li>However, so far, even limited-edition packaging from big brands this Diwali is all either plastic-based or made for one-time-use. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out if brands are making sustainability a priority in their business plans, infrastructure gap that India needs to fill in to become sustainable and when can we expect to see big Indian brands becoming 100% environment-friendly.</li></ul>For Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies and beauty brands, packaging is the final point of contact with customers. Having an unforgettable packaging design and <keyword id="10254633" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="eco-friendly-packaging">eco-friendly packaging</keyword> in today’s environment can help in communicating a disruptive image and stand out in the cluttered, competitive shelves. In the last few years, we have seen many brands become more environment-friendly and increase their focus on sustainability. Due to the lockdown and increased in-home consumption, consumers became more environmentally-conscious as they saw a higher than normal packaging in their own home trash that cannot be reused or recycled. Consumers, especially Millennials and GenZ, want companies to take sustainability and greater purpose more seriously and take action towards the betterment of our country. They are even willing to shell out more money or switch to a smaller brand. According to Capgemini’s latest research study on sustainability and changing consumer behaviour, 79% of consumers are changing their purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness, or environmental impact. 53% of consumers and 57% in the 18-24 age group have switched to lesser known brands because they were sustainable. More than half of the consumers (52%) say that they share an emotional connection with products or organisations that they perceive as sustainable. Moreover, COVID-19 has increased consumer awareness and commitment to buying sustainably: 67% of consumers said that they will be more cautious about the scarcity of natural resources due to the COVID-19 crisis, and 65% said that they will be more mindful about the impact of their overall consumption in the “new normal”. This reinforces the need for big companies to increase their commitments towards responsible business practices and migrate to sustainable solutions to contribute to a circular economy. As a result, during the pandemic, brands like Diageo and Dettol launched limited edition eco-friendly packaging to test the waters indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. HUL also brought Unilever’s ‘Love Beauty and Planet’ range of skincare products to India after observing an increasing demand for <keyword id="6955069" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sustainable-products">sustainable products</keyword>. According to media reports, companies such as Marico, Bacardi, ASICS, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. On the other hand, Diwali is also that time of the year when brands pour in extra money to launch limited-edition festive packaging. From Kurkure to Mondelez, all packaging from big companies is either plastic-based or one-time-use this year. So we reached out to experts to find out if companies are investing in launching eco-friendly packaging on a larger scale, what are some of the hurdles that are stopping brands from launching permanent eco-friendly packaging today and when can we expect to see India a plastic-free country. Infrastructure aid Talking about resources the country needs to inch closer towards circular economy, Arnab Ray, Creative Director, Landor said, “I think resources can be created if the mindset is there. Our thinking for plastic-free/recyclable products is normally limited to a small range of products, sometimes boutique and not something associated with mass brands. India is a large country, so it also means the Government playing a large role along with corporates. According to reports, FMCG companies are aiming to go for 100% recyclable plastic packaging by 2025 in accordance to the Government’s initiatives on plastic waste management. Also, in my view, change in perspective and innovation can be answers to creating more resources on a large scale basis. One of the largest sources of plastic waste, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for beverage products, are being re-purposed to make apparels, footwear, and furniture by many companies. Intelligent use of recyclable material can ensure a more sustained effort towards creating products that are good for the planet.” Radha Ghai, Creative Director &amp; Senior Partner, Alok Nanda &amp; Company, said that India has enough resources for small-scale production but not for large-scale yet. She said, “We do have the resources and lots of new materials, which are environment friendly, that are being explored but not at a large scale level yet. Plastic free/recyclable solutions are being explored at smaller scale levels especially in cities where people are becoming more aware of being sensitive to the environment and are willing to pay extra for these solutions. We have the technology to produce recyclable packaging, but again not at a large-scale level yet, as in India we don’t have the infrastructure to produce for large-scale products. Cost of materials and technology is expensive unlike China, which has been the biggest market till now. The government has to support the manufacturers big time to create these solutions.” Ashwini Deshpande, Co-founder and Director, Elephant Design pointed out that we need to take a holistic view here and look at the entire packaging process. Deshpande said, “Going plastic-free is a significant and high-impact step, but we must look at all the emerging concerns like packaging materials, printing inks, distribution logistics, consumption, and recycling. Each of these decisions impacts the planet. Going plastic-free is not the end of responsibility. Nor is believing the packaging will be recycled if we put a logo on it. Sustainability is a mindset. Any change needs to start with the intent that can then convert to policy. So, this is not about having enough resources or appropriate technology. The question is whether companies selling products in plastic packaging in India (whether MNCs or Indian) have enough genuineness to move towards replacing existing practices, processes &amp; materials with sustainable ones.” Speaking about how change will only come if clients change their mindset, Deshpande added, “If there is a strong intent, they will be able to spend resources on research, innovation, and integration to meet the objectives. If replacing materials seems like a long shot, smaller measures like reducing packaging sizes to appropriate dimensions, reducing number of inks or area of ink coverage to reduce negative impact can also prove effective first steps. Recovering solvents from ink usage, greener fuels for transporting goods, incentivizing consumers for recycling would be some of the other ways to become more sustainable.” Becoming a part of usual packaging process Designers are constantly in search of materials that provide long-term hygiene efficacy, materials or processes that do least harm to the ecology. The topic of sustainability has also become a part of boardroom conversations between agency and client. “Interestingly, this subject is becoming a large part of the many conversations we have with our existing and prospective clients. From a leading Art and Stationery brand to big FMCG clients to even our clients in the Alcohol industry, environment-friendly packaging is definitely a topic of discussion, and we constantly see opportunities collaboratively with our client partners to see where discussions can turn to reality. Globally, Landor &amp; Fitch have launched a joint initiative called The Good Squad, which is a collaborative effort of all the offices in the area of sustainability, where we research, share knowledge and also map out future prospects for all categories over and above our sharp focus on FMCG. So, in my view, the topic is no longer in the back burner but very much need of the hour. The pandemic did put the subject to the background a bit but also made us realise how important protecting the earth and its environment is for a better and more sustainable future,” said Ray. Deshpande, on the other hand, shared with us that conversation on eco-friendly packaging is still not a priority. She said, “Conversations about environment-friendly materials are increasing. Most MNCs also have sustainability experts involved in the packaging design process. But honestly, it is far from becoming a priority. Marketers, designers, print converters, logistics partners, retailers, consumers, and recycling agencies must come together to form the policy and develop practices to reach the common goals. It is a challenge now because all these stakeholders are not on the same platform yet. But I see that as the only way forward.” While clients do consider environmental-friendly options, they are still not willing to loosen their purse strings. Ghai said, “When we do get packaging briefs and when we start giving packaging solutions eco-friendly options are appreciated for sure. The environmental concern is there for sure but costs become a big hurdle for clients to produce materials that are eco friendly. Hence, limited edition products do get launched for a small set of audience, but for a larger scale demand the clients are forced to continue with more cost effective options.” Can India become a 100% eco-friendly country anytime soon? According to Bain &amp; Company, 65% of global consumers are ready to shell out more for brands which use sustainable products and nine in every ten customers are also ready to switch to eco-friendly brands if price and quality were equal. While consumers are willing to shell out more money for eco-friendly products, the audience is still very small and sustainable market is still at its nascent stage in India. Speaking about some of the hurdles that are stopping India from becoming eco-friendly at a larger scale, Ghai said, “Unfortunately, there’s still a large audience that doesn’t really pay much attention to these issues. Sensitivity to the environment is there but still not very active in their head. General perception is that if it is plastic free it will not be durable or if it's organic it must be expensive. Also, other products are readily available at shops nearby or at a supermarket, so ease of picking up takes preference over specially going to a shop or to look out for eco friendly products online. Though a few brands are moving towards recyclable materials that are still not 100% eco friendly, it is going to take time.” Ray thinks it is challenging but possible. He said, “India is a large country, hence the sheer volume of products can make moving to a 100% environment-friendly market a daunting task, but not really an impossible one. Unilever, globally has reduced one-third of its packaging waste. If the government and the big companies work hand-in-glove to mobilise and fast-track the initiative, then change is certainly possible. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the problem and are switching to eco-friendly alternatives. But again, these numbers are small, so it becomes imperative for the large companies along with the government, to raise awareness and help sustainable living become more achievable and a reality.” Deshpande opines it is a far-fetched idea but right support from the government and brands can make it happen. “While 100% is too idealistic, it will happen sooner than we all imagine if the government proactively makes it mandatory. On their own, very few Indian brands would take the steps. Also, why should the consumers bear the costs alone? The onus is also on the corporates. They cannot hope to maintain their bottom-line and recover the entire expense of saving the planet out of their consumers,” said she.

How ready is India to launch permanent eco-friendly packaging and become a plastic free country?

<ul><li><keyword id="54572" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">PepsiCo</keyword> India said within 30 years of our establishment in India, PepsiCo India has grown exponentially to emerge as one of the largest Food and Beverage company in the country.</li><li>On account of such a tremendous growth, PepsiCo India has committed to invest over $2.1 billion in the country over a five-year period ending in 2022. </li><li>"While there have been some short-term head winds due to Covid, we at PepsiCo are extremely optimistic about the future and are committed to provide consumers the right portfolio of products across food and <keyword id="23943" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="beverages">beverages</keyword>," they said.</li></ul> In an interview with IANS, Vishal Kaul, Vice President &amp; Business Head, Beverages, PepsiCo India and Dilen Gandhi, Senior Director and Category Head of Foods, PepsiCo India said within 30 years of our establishment in India, PepsiCo India has grown exponentially to emerge as one of the largest Food and Beverage company in the country. On account of such a tremendous growth, PepsiCo India has committed to invest over $2.1 billion in the country over a five-year period ending in 2022. "'As people adjust to the enew normal', in-home consumption is witnessing a significant uptake. We are witnessing a jump in both penetration and frequency of our food and beverage categories. There is a growing demand for our larger packs as in-home occasions of togetherness have increased manifold. While the consumers are looking at in-home experiences and seeking convenience, they are also looking at value," they said. "While there have been some short-term head winds due to Covid, we at PepsiCo are extremely optimistic about the future and are committed to provide consumers the right portfolio of products across food and beverages," they said. "Even in the COVID environment, our categories are seeing robust demand and growth across most channels," they added. Q: How is PepsiCo India responding with its business models to the Covid-19 situation? A: The COVID-19 has led to a complete paradigm shift as everything around us has changed- consumer behavior, retail landscape, competitive environment. Very early on, we realized there was no playbook to tackle the COVID challenge and the situation would continue to change. So, we had to arm ourselves with taking quick decisions while not having all the relevant information. To help us navigate the crisis, we established 6 guiding principles: Being People Centric, Being Consumer Centric, Being Customer Centric, Being Community Stewards, Being Agile and Being Prudent. These were the lens through which we saw every decision and we empowered our teams for agile decision making. At a time when stepping out for even essentials was fraught with risks, making our product conveniently available for our retailers and consumers was a key focus area. Hyper-local delivery emerged as a solution and we invested in emergent channels like Ecommerce for both B2C and B2B. We partnered with Amazon, Big Basket, Grofers, Swiggy and Dunzo to ensure uninterrupted availability of our food and beverage products to consumers across locations with safe delivery-on demand for all our consumers. For B2B, we further strengthened our existing Distributor model with the EB2B model, where we partnered with Udaan and Big Basket to help small and medium businesses. This partnership ensured our product portfolio was easily made available to retailers, so that they can cater to demand in the market. Q: How does PepsiCo view the big jump in consumption of snacks and beverages at home? A: PepsiCo India has always kept a pulse on consumer trends and continued to develop its portfolio in line with what consumers want. As people adjust to the enew normal', in-home consumption is witnessing a significant uptake. We are witnessing a jump in both penetration and frequency of our food and beverage categories. There is a growing demand for our larger packs as in-home occasions of togetherness have increased manifold. While the consumers are looking at in home experiences and seeking convenience, they are also looking at value. In order to serve the consumer better and rapidly adapt to their changing requirements we have introduced a 1.25-liter PET pack in our beverage portfolio at a very affordable price of Rs 50 which will enable the stay-at- home times even more special for our consumers. We have also introduced various combo packs for our food portfolio creating and further driving in-home consumption.Q: What are the investment plans for PepsiCo in India? A: Within 30 years of our establishment in India, PepsiCo India has grown exponentially to emerge as the largest Food and Beverage company in the country. On account of such a tremendous growth, PepsiCo India has committed to invest over $2.1 billion in the country over a five-year period ending in 2022. This commitment is a part of our previously disclosed commitment to invest $5.5 billion in India and includes our plan to double our manufacturing capabilities locally in the next five years, to cater to the ever-increasing demand of our products among the consumers. In recent years, we have announced an investment of Rs 514 Crores in a new foods facility in Uttar Pradesh which will provide 1,500 direct/indirect jobs. We have also invested in increasing capacity at our existing foods plants in West Bengal and Maharashtra and have additionally proposed to set up a greenfield project in Assam. Q: What is the production capacity for the PepsiCo products, and has it reached pre-Covid levels? A: We have resumed operations/ manufacturing across foods and beverages in the best manner possible, ensuring that all guidelines regarding safety of our employees are strictly adhered to. In the current environment and limited workforce across shifts, we are trying to ensure that we can meet the demand and operate at an optimal level to cater to our consumers with their favorite snacks and beverages. Nonetheless, we remain committed towards our employees and our consumers and see an uptake in both supply and demand in both categories. Q: What has been the response to the Covid situation? A: As brands look at engaging with consumers, the first and foremost part is that the current situation requires brands to provide consumers with a seamless and safe buying experience. That apart, this is also a unique opportunity to build an even more authentic relationship with the consumers by listening to them and providing the functional and emotional comfort. While there have been new ways of ensuring consumers had 24X7 accessibility of our products in a safe and hygienic manner, Brands across the PepsiCo India portfolio have also initiated interesting campaigns rooted into insights that we mined through the real time social listening we do at PepsiCo For consumers, safety comes first, and they are now refraining from going to crowded places and prefer low exposure. Hence, we partnered with SWIGGY and Dunzo to provide our products across food and beverages at their doorsteps, 24X7. We also saw that with low touch format being the new trend, there was a need to work with our partners to find low or no touch solutions for dispensing water. After extensive research and trials, we were able to finalize the Aquafina Low touch dispenser model as a product that we could roll out now given it meets key criteria including safety of consumer,practicality as well as economies of scale. We also evolved in the way we communicated to our consumers with messaging that were more relevant in current times. For example, <keyword id="44672" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pepsi">Pepsi</keyword> identified that while social distancing was the new normal, however a lot of consumers were either not aware of it or were not following it fully. Salaam and Namaste, which were deeply rooted into Indian culture are actually the best forms of contactless greetings, which was the need of the hour during the COVID times. In an endeavor to make these contactless Indian greetings a part of pop culture, Pepsi introduced a digital forward campaign that aimed at inspiring the world that greeting each other with salaam/namaste is a perfect way to ensure social distancing and yet maintain connections responsibly. It encouraged behavioral change through adherence to social distancing norms in an entertaining manner. The campaign broke all past records in India and made a meaningful impact to the consumers' lives. On the other hand, LAY'S, started a special initiative for the many unsung heroes of India - farmers, truck drivers, retailers, etc. e who continue to bring joy to millions even in these challenging times. The brand partnered with Smile Foundation to provide hygiene kits to over 40,000 families of such unsung heroes. These hygiene kits contain masks and sanitizers, to support these champions as they continue to work hard even in these unprecedented times. As part of the initiative LAY'S has also collaborated with leading Indian brands like Airtel, ICICI Bank, Parachute, Dunzo, Big Basket, JK Type, Vistara, Grofers and together have thanked millions of these unsung heroes. We also had other brands from our portfolio like Mountain Dew, Quaker, Tropicana etc do similar contextual campaigns and the response from the consumers has been overwhelming.Q: What have been the sustainability initiatives of PepsiCo? A: In its role as a responsible social citizen, PepsiCo India has taken several initiatives to contribute to the nation's ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. As part of its #GiveMealsGiveHope global programme, PepsiCo India provided over 10 million meals to the underprivileged and marginalized families impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak across India. The meals were distributed in partnership with Akshaya Patra Foundation, Smile Foundation &amp; CII Foundation, across the country. The company also extended support to the healthcare and diagnostic facilities by providing over 35,000 COVID-19 testing kits to government labs, supplementing their efforts to combat the pandemic. Furthermore, the COVID 19 crisis has impacted the restaurants and the workers significantly. It is forecasted that 4 out of 10 restaurants would shut down. Pepsi initiated a campaign #PepsiSaveOurResturants, an inclusive program where every time you order food and add a beverage to your order and it can be any beverage -- Pepsi or any other beverage, Pepsi will give that many meals to the restaurant workers who have served us. Pepsi partnered with NRAI and Swiggy to bring this campaign to life. The campaign has got great response as it has provided many consumers an avenue to support the restaurant workers who have always served them. Q: What are the changing consumer patterns expected due to Covid? A: The COVID-19 challenge is making both consumers and brands face a new reality. Consumer behavior and pattern is emerging and evolving at a fast pace. Some of the key insights that are emerging are as follows: #Mobile is the new TV: Consumers, customers, employees and our ecosystem partners have leap frogged towards leveraging digital solutions and the mobile is at the epicenter of all this. Be it work from home, communication to consumers, taking orders from customers or Ecom, consumers are practically dependent on their mobiles. They are consuming content online, buying online and even engaging with extended family and finds online. Therefore, it's important to jump shift this capability and work with the ecosystem partners to strengthen this muscle. #Value in Table Stakes: While value has always been important for consumers, going forward it would become even more crucial. The brands/companies who can re-engineer their business models to deliver this via an advantaged model, would succeed in the long term. #Hope Trust and Fun: We believe consumers would be looking at 3 emotional benefits and brands that can provide the same authentically, would be the ones that consumers would choose - The first is Hope. Hope is tied very closely to empathy. Brands need to be empathic and craft messages which are reassuring and relatable to consumers in these unprecedented times. - The second is Trust. Now more than ever, consumers need to see brands walk the talk in everything they do e whether it is the core product promise or leading a cause to support communities. -The third is Fun. Today, consumers are working twice as hard, donning multiple hats and with sources of entertainment and recreation limited, a brand that can that can present an opportunity for consumers to express themselves in a fun manner will be able to build deeper connects with the consumers The situation would continue to evolve and it is important we continuously have our ear to the ground and we keep sharpening the strategy basis consumer needs. Q: What are the initiatives to bolster the retail network by PepsiCo? A: The pandemic has given rise to a enew-normal' world and we at PepsiCo India have maintained a close look out on the evolving consumer behavior pattern to be better prepared for the future. We take cognizance of the fact that we need to cater to different audiences, be it consumers, partners, distributors through different channels. For the consumers, demand for online deliveries has soared since the start of the stay-at-home order. Thereby, it was almost imperative for businesses to enhance their Direct to Customer (D2C) channels like Swiggy, Dunzo to ensure we have exclusive e-stores and a mechanism to cater to our consumers at their doorstep 24/7. By tapping the 'Daily Grocery' on Dunzo's app, customers can visit the LAY'S E-store and get these products delivered within an hour of ordering. The initiative has currently been launched as a pilot in <keyword id="6354321" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> and will eventually expand to 4 more cities across Mumbai, Gurugram, Delhi, and Jaipur. For the beverage category, we have tied up with Swiggy stores where we ensure availability of our products to the consumer on demand and delivery within 2 hours. On the other hand, Aquafina has tied up with a micro delivery platform OwO is for expanding reach into "At -home" consumption of packaged water. From a consumer perspective, our research has shown that consumers prefer dealing with apps such as OwO as they find it convenient. For the retailers and wholesalers, an interesting emerging channel is the EB2B model, under which PepsiCo India has entered into deep partnership with Udaan and Big Basket to help small and medium businesses. They should always have access to our product portfolio to ensure that they always meet demand. On the other hand, we remain committed to the distributors and ensure that we grow them and grow with them. Q: How does PepsiCo view the recent agriculture reforms including the flexibility to farmers to sell their products? A: Let's talk briefly about our collaborative programme and how that is focused on working closely with the farmers and based on years of trust and relationship. At PepsiCo India, we are guided by eWinning with Purpose' - our fundamental belief that the success of the company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around. Agriculture is at the heart of PepsiCo India, and the companies relationship with farmers in India goes back 30 years. PepsiCo was the first company to introduce own researched processed grade varieties in India in late 90's. At present, PepsiCo is largest processed grade potato buyer in India. To fulfill its chip grade potato demand locally, PepsiCo developed largest collaborative farming for potato in India spread across 13 states working involving over 24,000 farmers. The potatoes are then processed in 3 manufacturing plants which employ close to 2,000 direct and indirect employees. The retention rate of farmers being part of the collaborative farming program is as high as 98 per cent. All the potato used in Lay's and Uncle Chipps is sourced from farmers in India e in fact, PepsiCo is the largest buyer of chip grade potato in the country today. Q: What are your views on the outlook for consumer sentiment? Is it an essential versus discretionary choice? A: India consumption story has just started and according to industry reports, India will be the 3rd largest consumption market by 2025. While there have been some short-term head winds due to Covid, we at PepsiCo are extremely optimistic about the future and are committed to provide consumers the right portfolio of products across food and beverages. Even in the COVID environment, our categories are seeing robust demand and growth across most channels. Our robust and balanced portfolio across "Fun for You" products like Pepsi, Lays Dew, Kurkure or "Better For You" products like Lipton, Pepsi Black or "Good For You" products like Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade are getting greater acceptance from consumers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/after-google-pwc-india-declares-a-company-wide-holiday-for-its-employees-this-friday-offers-time-off-for-a-well-deserved-break/articleshow/77125627.cms">After Google, PwC India declares a company-wide holiday for its employees this Friday – offers time off for a 'well-deserved' break</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/mukesh-ambani-is-now-the-fifth-richest-person-in-the-world-according-to-forbes/articleshow/77105843.cms">Mukesh Ambani is now the fifth richest person in the world, according to Forbes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-dont-want-h1b-ban-but-are-pocketing-savings-while-it-lasts/articleshow/77120776.cms">The H1-B visa ban is not what Indian IT firms want⁠— but they are pocketing some savings while it last</a>

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