For centuries, people in India have consumed certain foods, nuts and herbs for health reasons. Today western science has validate the benefits of traditional Indian items such as turmeric and ginger. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian imports of California almonds shot up dramatically and now India is the largest export market for this tree nut.
The nutraceuticals category (formerly called VMS or Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements) is a major component of consumer goods in India today. It is regulated by FSSAI, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which was formed in 2008 under the Ministry of Health. Amritt can work to get your products approved by the agency.
Both Indian and global companies thrive in India. Amway’s Nutrilite range sells via networking marketing. Pittsburgh, PA based GNC sells a wide range of its products via retail pharmacy channels and manufactures some of its products in India. Haleon’s Centrum line is also widely available across India. Homeopathic remedies are popular in India with France’s Boiron and Germany’s Schwabe are established in India. Omega 3 supplements from Nordic Naturals are attractive to Indians consumers. Today India’s consumers desire probiotics, memory aids, supplement for pregnant women and lactating mothers, protein powders and all manner of American, Australian and European nutraceuticals.
The Covid-19 pandemic drove greater awareness of the value of nutraceuticals to maintain and support good health among Indians. At the same time digital payments and e-commerce delivery boomed in India. Nutraceutical players were already adept at leveraging social media in India, which is largely based on American platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. This combination of key success factors has opened up possibilities for many smaller American brands to enter the market in India. In the past, imported nutraceuticals were sold mostly in India’s largest cities but today consumers from across the country have access via e-commerce.
Sometime “functional foods” are included with nutraceuticals. Horlicks is a milk supplement that was popularized by GSK and is now owned by Unilever in India Nestle is active in functional foods in India, as are Yakult and others.
Numerous Indian companies have a strong presence in the nutraceutical sector in India, Dabur based near New Delhi, Emami and Baidyanath from Kolkata are old Indian companies that now run very modern operations and offer products with Ayurvedic roots, such as ashwagandha and chyawansprash. India has a vibrant pharmaceutical industry serving local and global markets and some of these companies also produce and market nutraceuticals in India.
Amritt can help you to understand the Indian nutraceuticals market, develop a market entry approach and help you execute the plan.
