Aahar is the largest Food Expo that happens in India and this time it was from the 3rd to 7th of March at Pragati Maidan. For us it is a great opportunity to meet our customers all in one place and also talk to some new technologies, companies, their brands and hear what they have to say. While technology continues to remain in nascent stages, what has really taken off in the last few years is the company’s outlook towards creating a brand for themselves and that is only possible through focus on systems and processes.
A lot of companies prominently feature process certifications like FSSC22000, ISO22000 and HACCP on their product labels. Those who are not there yet are willing to listen and learn. They are happy to talk about it, and understand that it can bring in the differentiating edge. Being product companies also puts that extra responsibility on their shoulder. Supply chains now have multi stakeholders and it is important to build the product traceability for themselves.
There is increased awareness in the Indian equipment manufacturers too. They are talking about rivet free and smooth joints that do not accumulate dirt. They are talking about how cleanability is linked with ease of use which can be improved significantly by adding small features like automatic tilting and drying systems. They understand the importance of adding a water spout close to the boiler pan to reduce the spillage of water. We had some interesting discussion around the same with folks at RG-Incorporation.
However, most continue to stay concerned by the regulatory system. While FSSAI has done a phenomenal job in adding specificity to a lot of standards and increasing the coverage, there is still a lot that needs to be done. Common issues that continue to plague the system are the reliability of the tests done at government labs, unharmonized standards with respect to international guidelines. There were also concerns about enforcement of labeling guidelines where imported products are being sold by relabeling it beyond expiry and products rejected in other countries landing up at our shores. Practices like these put pressure on pricing and hurt the manufacturers who are committed to following the regulations.
Between the conversations, there was food tasting, demo cooking and a lot of business discussions with everyone. The under-construction halls did add to the pain with multiple people tripping on the uneven floor. The rain just added to the woes reducing the footfall. Gate No. 1 was flooded on evening of 6th and the only good way to get out of there was to hold your shoes in your hand and wade through the pool. Some of us just had too many things to carry and decided to soak our shoes instead 😊
