Safal, flagship horticulture brand of Mother Dairy is betting big on expanding its presence in the value-added product segment. Safal, pioneered the concept of frozen peas in India in the 1990s, and now wants to replicate the success with fruits and vegetables.
As per Pradipta Kumar Sahoo, Business Head - Safal, Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable considerable investments in setting up infrastructure and establishing a pan-India distribution channel is being planned out to leverage the synergies to launch more products. The company expects Safal’s revenues to touch the ₹700-crore mark by the end of this fiscal. The company believes nearly 50 per cent of these revenues will come from value-added products.
As part of the expansion strategy, the company has launched Safal Frozen Jackfruit, with a shelf life of 12 months, at ₹40 for a 300-gm pack in Delhi-NCR. Safal is directly sourcing jackfruits from tribal farmers in Jharkhand.
The company also recently added a dried onion flakes product, Safal Easy Onions, to its value-added product portfolio. There is an untapped potential in the dehydrated format as consumers’ lifestyle is evolving and they are increasingly facing paucity of time. Besides onions, there is potential to offer garlic, ginger and other vegetables in the dehydrated format.
The company is also looking to strengthen its presence in the ready-to-cook range with products such as frozen French fries. Also on the cards is the launch of fruit pulps and fruit chunks, starting with mangoes and litchi, in consumer packs.. The company has been exporting fruit pulp and fruit chunks for some time.
