High-profile figures from across the Indian and global fresh produce business will share their insight and ideas at Fresh Produce India 2021, which combines exclusive, informative content with the best networking opportunities.
The event, which takes place online on 22 April from 1pm-6pm IST, explores the latest developments in the fast-evolving Indian market with a mix of talks, interviews and discussion.
Interactive, on-demand
Interactive sessions include live chat and Q&A with speakers, so delegates can ask them the questions that matter most to them. They can also enjoy Fresh Produce India sessions while networking with other attendees, and if they miss any sessions, these are all available on demand to watch later.
Leading food retailers, fresh produce importers and suppliers, logistics specialists and ag-tech investors are all lined up to discuss the evolution of the Indian market in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Consumers in focus
Headlining this year’s programme is a focus on Indian consumers.
In the opening session, Dipayan Baishya, head of strategy and communication at leading retailer Future Group, shares his expert insight to retail and consumer trends in India. Baishya, co-author of the best-selling business book, It Happened in India, explains how Covid-19 has given new impetus to consumption and marketing of fresh food. He also talks about how digital is reshaping India’s retail landscape and outlines opportunities to build new categories in the modern retail channel.
Going B2C
India’s leading fresh produce suppliers and marketers are increasingly marketing their brands direct to consumers. Fresh Produce India explores the B2C marketing trend through a series of case studies.
Manav Suri and Rahul Dey of Suri Agro Fresh explain the relaunch of the importer-distributor’s Enjoy brand as a consumer-facing lifestyle brand focused on health and wellbeing. They also discuss the group’s market development initiative to develop sales of high-value branded fruits through India’s traditional retail channel.
Rockit Global partnered with Suri Agro to launch its miniature apple in India last year. General manager of global sales, Mark Pay, talks about Rockit’s plans in the Indian market and its global brand ambassador partnership with New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson, who plays for Indian Premier League team, Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Healthy snacking is a clear trend among consumers in India. Jan Doldersum and Ajit Bisoi of Rijk Zwaan discuss the recent launch of the seed breeder’s new Sn!bs range of snacking vegetable varieties at Spar stores in India together with Spar India’s head of fresh fruit and vegetables, Venkatareddy TG.
Investing in the supply chain
India is also witnessing exciting new investments in cold chain logistics and in ag-tech. Experts are on-hand to discuss some of the landmark developments and innovative solutions on both fronts.
Dhruv Kotak,managing director ofpremier shipping services companyJM Baxi Group, provides his expert perspective onIndia’s changing logistics landscape.
Joining Kotak isTarun Arora,director of leading Indian importerIG International.The pair discuss a tie-up between JM Baxi and IG to construct a world-class cold storage facility in Mumbai and speed up handling and transportation of containers from Nhava Sheva port to customers across India.
Hind Terminals’ head of rail salesDeepak Kanugatalks about its inland container depot at Palwal, a cargo gateway to India’s National Capital Region encompassing New Delhi and surrounding urban areas.
A boom in India’s ag-tech start-up sector has also presented potential new solutions to India’s age-old supply challenges. With funds becoming harder to find for start-ups, Subhadeep Sanyal, partner of leading ag-tech venture capital firm, Omnivore, discusses the outlook for ag-tech investment in the country.
Apples and beyond
Fresh Produce India wraps up by exploring the opportunities in some of the country’s most exciting fresh fruit categories.
India has already made its presence felt in the global apple trade. While a major producer in its own right, it has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s biggest importers. Wayne Prowse of Fresh Intelligence Consulting kicks off with a look at India’s apple business in the global context, identifying big opportunities to increase consumption and outlining key shifts in supply origins.
European suppliers have gained a significant share of India’s apple market over recent years, aided by obstacles to established suppliers such as the US and China. A panel of leading European suppliers – including Marc Evrard of Belgian Fruit Valley (BFV), Nicola Zanotelli of Italian consortium FROM and Julka Toskic of Serbia Does Apples – discuss the changing fabric of India’s apple market and the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Emerging categories in India’s fruit market such as pears and cherries also come under the spotlight in the final segment. Fresh Intelligence Consulting’s Prowse analyses the top-performing products on India’s fruit import market before leading industry figures share first-hand insights on the potential for pears and cherries respectively.
Gagan Khoslaof NGK Trading talks about the growth in pear imports withJacques Du Preezof Hortgro, South Africa’s deciduous fruit industry association.
Cherries have emerged as one of the hottest new categories in India, albeit building from a low base. Charif Carvajalof the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex) unveils the results ofChile’s first-ever cherry promotionsin India in 2020/21.Senthil Natarajanof KPN Farm Fresh, the fruit store chain and importer, explains how Indian consumers see cherries and what needs to be done to grow the category.
Fresh Produce India is a free-to-register online event and it broadcasts live on 22 April from 1pm-6pm India Standard Time.
To register, or for more information, visit the website:
www.freshproduceindia.com
