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Debdatta Das

New Delhi , Dec. 12

Smelling an opportunity, a number of US-based food processing companies are eyeing the shelves of retail outlets in India.

JM Grain, a US company dealing in lentils and peas, already present in the commodities export market, is planning to double its exports by tapping the rapidly growing retail industry.

Lentils

"We currently export about 6,000-7,000 tonnes of lentils and peas every year and we are looking at doubling it in the next two years.

"The main reason for our growing interest in India is the understanding that it is the largest consumer of lentils.

"Given the current emerging retail conditions, we feel it is the right time to expand our base in the country," said the JM Grain President, Mr Justin Flaten.

The company's sales from exports to India are around $1.5 million.

Tefco, Illinois

The Illinois-based Tefco of the US, producer of coffee whiteners, milk replacers and powders and egg substitutes, whose sales from markets such as Taiwan are $60,000-70,000 per month and from Europe around $2 million, believes that its sales from India will exceed those limits.

"Not only are the products easy to store but will also fit the taste of the people.

"Also, with the growing middle-class buying such products in retail stores, we strongly believe there is a big scope for us here."

Microcide Inc

Microcide Inc, developers of food grade sequestrates and organic surfactants, is not only looking at selling its products through the upcoming retail outlets, but is also betting on institutional sales to hotels and restaurants.

"India is an emerging food processing market where there is also a need for products related to the industry, like bio-degradable cleansers.

"We have started speaking to a number of retailers such as Subhiksha to market our products in India," said Mr Melvin A. Pascall, Technical Consultant, Microcide Inc.

Siam International

Meanwhile, Siam International Food Inc, maker of jams, Thai curry sauces, philly cheese and meat products, is looking at marketing its products in the country through high-end stores and supermarkets.

"We are planning to start supplying products to India within the next six months to a year.

"People have started to show a lot of interest in our jams and jellies and not so much for the meat products," said Mr Paul Reiter, Account Executive, Siam International.

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