Geeta’s bringing a spice hit to sauces and condiments

The world foods market continues to grow with sauces and condiments driving market share as recent research identified that the UK ethnic food market is benefiting most from strong demand, with six in ten adults enjoying eating foreign food and 44% of users continually looking for new and interesting ethnic alternatives.* British taste buds are now craving a spice hit with research finding that 21% of respondents rank curry above all other dishes.**

Alongside an increasing desire to experience new flavours, there is a newfound importance placed on home and family time, with the trend for eating in continuing to grow as a result of difficult economic times. With purse strings being tightened and consumers opting to eat in rather than dine out, Indian condiments have particularly benefitted as consumers make more of the home mealtime occasion by adding a chutney and perhaps poppadums to replicate the eating-out/takeaway experience.

As a result of consumer demand Geeta’s, the premium Indian food brand, continues to lead the way since launching the award-winning, flagship product, Premium Mango Chutney two decades ago. The chutney has become Britain’s best selling premium Indian chutney*** and is still made to the age-old recipe that was passed down through generations of Geeta’s family.

“As the trend towards top-up shopping and the use of convenience stores continues we have noticed increased differentiation in the convenience sector” says Sally Campbell, Geeta’s Category Manager. “Convenience retailers are recognizing the opportunity to drive basket spend by adding depth to their fixtures in the form of premium brands such as Geeta’s.”

Geeta’s are very much aware of the trend for spicier variants, their Lime & Chilli Chutney is the UK’s best selling Lime product, whilst the fastest growing is their Mango & Chilli Chutney, which clearly meets demand for extra spice, but has mango as the core ingredient. Mango variants account for over 70% of all Indian chutney sales, and as consumers become more sophisticated there is justification for both a medium and a hot line on most fixtures.

Innovation is at the heart of Geeta’s and having identified a clear gap in the market for a range of premium Indian Curry Pastes, founder Geeta Samtani has created six new recipes that deliver on authenticity, convenience and taste – values integral to the Geeta’s brand. “The launch encourages consumer trade-up from mainstream products, thus adding much-needed value to the category, which has been static in recent times [IRI Grocery Outlets, January 2013]. With a new convenient, 80g single use pouch format, it also delivers on packaging innovation, whilst minimizing wastage” says Campbell.

“Priced at an accessible 99p to serve two, the range includes Britain’s five favourite Indian varieties that, between them, account for over 75% of all Indian sauce sales – Korma, Tikka Masala, Balti, Rogan Josh and Madras, plus mild curry paste. Consumers just need to add a few everyday ingredients to create a delicious restaurant quality dish in 20 minutes.”

For an authentic Indian cooking experience aimed at consumers whose primary driver is convenience, Geeta’s has developed the Spice and Stir cooking sauces. These two-part sauces have a spice cap full of specially selected spices which are stir fried with the meat, fish or vegetables coating it with aromatic flavor before the sauce is then added and the dish simmered, to create a delicious curry full of the authentic flavour of India.

Geeta Samtani’s vision for her eponymous brand remains as it was when she started out 20 years ago – to share with the British consumer Geeta’s chutneys, pastes and sauces made using premium, authentic ingredients, following family recipes and traditional methods.

* Mintel Ethnic Foods Market Report 2012

** Premier Foods Flavour Index

*** IRI Jan 2013

Geeta’s products are distributed in the UK by RH Amar & Co Ltd

Tel:  01494530200

www.geetasfoods.com   

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