Consumer firms widen Health Food portfolio

In a bid to address the needs of health-conscious Indian consumers, FMCG majors have lined up a slew of products for launch in 2008. ITC's foods division is launching Sunfeast Benne Vita Flaxseed biscuits early next year to expand its health biscuits portfolio.

The company already has two other health offers under Sunfeast Sachin Fit Kit, Sunfeast Sachin's FitKit Vitamin and Protein enriched biscuits and Sunfeast Sachin's Fit Kit Multi-grain biscuits.

Since consumer tastes have changed towards a healthier one, we foresee a good growth in the health foods category and expect our portfolio of these products too will continue to grow in the years ahead, added Naware.

The company also offers a health pasta option Sunfeast Benne Vita pasta in four variants.

PepsiCo India's food arm, Frito-Lay India, has already cut down the use of around 5,000 tonnes of saturated fat by switching to rice bran oil for its core products. The company is now aiming to cut trans fats further by using whole grains for its snack offerings. Says a FritoLay India spokesperson,

In recognition of the fact that consumers are living smarter and constantly making lifestyle choices, we have made our core product range healthier, encouraging consumers to snack smart.

Our core product Lay's Kurkure, Uncle Chipps and Cheetos is now being cooked in rice bran oil. In the process, we have reduced saturated fats in these products by 40 per cent, while maintaining the same great taste and at the same price. This is in addition to the fact that all our products have zero-trans fats.

Homegrown FMCG company Dabur India, which has already made heath and wellness its focus area, introduced ChyawanPrakash, a sugar-free variant of Chyawanprash last month.

The product is targeted at the calorie-conscious consumers.

Says K K Chutani, general manager, marketing, Dabur India, The launch of this product comes at a time when Dabur is putting in a concerted effort at expanding the category and use of Chyawanprash. Dabur's entry into the sugar-free segment with Dabur ChyawanPrakash is yet another step in this direction.

According to industry experts, due to increasing health concerns and rising rates of chronic lifestyle diseases, consumers are today asking for products that address their health needs and with this trend growing, food companies will continue to extend their portfolio to healthier offerings.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is believed to be in the process of introducing a range of nutritional drinks and snacks for children next year. The range is set to be launched under Amaze Brainfood, a part of HUL's parent company Unilever.

Amaze Brainfood has already been launched in Turkey and the range is said to include tasty bite-size cereal treats and milk drinks for children that contain iron, iodine and protein. __________________________________________________________________ All the major FMCG's are expanding their Foods business. Whether the move towards healthy alternatives is a consequence or a cause towards the general mindset of the consumer is going back to an age old debate. What is interesting to wait and see is the positioning ITC's Bingo would take in response to Lay's new Health statement.