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Our Bureau

Kochi, Nov. 10 As a result of the economic slowdown, the ‘eating out concept’ in the US has taken a beating but the ‘ready-to-eat and cook-and-serve’ categories in food consumption have grown, according to Mr Jose Thomas, Chairman and Managing Director, Choice Group of companies.

Thus, while restaurant sales in the US have come down, ready-to-eat and cook-and-serve food brands are still flying off retailers’ shelves.

The Choice group launched its brand of un-breaded shrimp, Tastee Choice, in the US market in 1999. A survey by the international rating agency, A.C. Nielson, has rated Tastee Choice as the number one brand in the un-breaded shrimp category. The survey is for the 52-week period ending October.

It is for the first time that an Indian brand has become the number one in its category in US international department stores and retail outlets, a press release from the company said.

Having strengthened our presence in the US markets, products under the Tastee Choice brand will be launched in the Indian market from next month, Mr Thomas said.

Earlier, the company had set up a seafood processing facility at Kochi in 1990 and the products were exported to various companies in the US for re-packing and sale under their own brand name. Though the company had been processing and packing products of international standard for many years, it could not make its presence felt in the international retail chain market with an Indian brand name.

However once its company, Choice Canning Company in New Jersey, was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary and Tastee Choice was registered, the company started marketing the product under its own brand name.

Strategies for brand positioning, brand visibility, packaging and creation of distribution channels were critical to survival and growth in the fiercely competitive US markets, he added.

Its product range from farm-raised white and salad shrimp; tail-on black tiger shrimp; cooked, peeled and de-veined tail-on tiger shrimp and cooked salad shrimp are now sold at international department stores, retail outlets, hotels and restaurants in the US.

More Stories on : Brands | Aquaculture

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