Bangalore-based Neo Foods Company is all set to transform itself from a pickle company to a packaged food company and consequently updated itself. The company is soon coming up with its 3rd plant which will further help in expanding its capacity and retail product range. Started in 2005 by Adarsh & Shalini Jalan is one among the top growers & packers of pickled vegetables in India that works on the contract farming model and exporting worldwide to countries like UK, Germany, France, USA, Australia and others. It covers more than 6000 acres per year under contract farming and has two plants in Tumkur, Karnataka. Ashok Sinha – India Business Head Neo Foods, shared the company’s aggressive growth plans and strategy for increasing presence at store level. 

Tell us about your retail presence pan India.

Today, modern trade contributes to approximately 30% and general trade 70% of our business. We are today directly present in 46 cities and 2000 Hyper/Supermarkets across India. Our products are available in all the online portals too.

What is your USP that differentiate you from your competitors?

We have a strong agricultural & processing background and one of the few companies with an integrated agricultural, processing, packing and distribution operations.

What is your basic retail strategy?

We are focused to establish the brand as an international quality producer and retailer and have aggressive plans to ensure growth. We have widened our product range and the new categories that we are expanding, are complementing categories to each other. We are also considering visibility, wet sampling, cross promotions etc to ensure excellent service to the stores. Recently, we have also launched our products in new look and packaging. The primary goal of the rebranding is to establish Neo Foods as a bold, confident, modern and recognizable brand. The new packaging and identity is also increasing shelf throw and aiding in easy and quick recognition and differentiation between the kinds of products. This is helping us to make the consumers engage with our brand/products at home in more occasions.

How you are expanding your presence at retail points pan India? Whom you are targeting?

We are very aware of customers changing food habits and know who our target customers are. We see our customers as those who are young, travelled, willing to try various types of food and who look for excellent quality at reasonable price. The growth and presence of fast food outlets of Pizzas, Burgers, Salads, etc. including International Chains and Local Chains are facilitating the acceptance of our products majorly in tier II cities. Moreover, consumers these days are health conscious but simultaneously looking for fast food and convenience. We understands these needs of the consumer and hence have launched our products in small packs – the latest being Baked Beans in 200 g can. We were the first company in India to launch this in 200 gms easy open can. This is ideal for small family or an individual.

What is the importance of in-store marketing for ‘Neo Foods’? What are your plans or marketing strategy to promote your products at store level?

Our range of products is mostly new and young age. We hence give a lot of importance to in-store marketing which majorly includes wet sampling- making people taste the product and also educate them on the usages of our products. We will aggressively continue product wet sampling at stores and simultaneously through Merchandising and visibility drive promote NEO products at Store Level.