On Thursday, December 15, Reliance Consumer Products, the FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures and a wholly owned subsidiary, launched the Independence brand of consumer packaged goods made in India. The launch took place in Gujarat.

The brand will sell  different kinds of products, such as staples, processed foods, and other things that people need every day. As it gets ready to roll out the brand across the country, the company wants to make Gujarat a “go-to-market” state. This will help the company’s FMCG business do its job well. The company is working with trade partners like manufacturers and kirana stores to make high-quality products and give them more business opportunities. In the next few months, the company plans to speed up the launch so that FMCG retailers all over Gujarat can take part.

“I am happy to announce that our own FMCG brand, Independence, is now available,” said Ms. Isha Ambani, director of Reliance Retail Ventures. “It has a wide range of high-quality and affordable products, such as edible oils, pulses, grains, packaged foods, and other items that people need every day.” “The brand stands for ‘truly Indian solutions for real Indian problems,’ which is written as ‘Kan Kan Mein Bharat,’ which makes Indians feel emotionally connected and gives them a sense of belonging.

Reliance Retail Ventures is a branch of Reliance Industries and the parent company of all the retail businesses in the RIL group. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, RRVL runs more than 16,500 of its own stores and works with more than 2 million merchants in grocery, electronics, apparel, pharmacy, lingerie, home and furnishing, beauty, and personal care. Through Jio Mart, Ajio, Netmeds, Zivame, and other online channels, it also runs the largest omni-channel business network. For the year ending March 31, 2022, it had a consolidated turnover of Rs 199,704 crore ($26.3 billion) and a net profit of Rs 7,055 crore ($931 million).

On the BSE, shares of Reliance Industries went up 0.71 percent to Rs 2597 following the news.

The Indian food authority, FSSAI, has made the FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2021, which limits the amount of naturally occurring formaldehyde in freshwater and saltwater fish, work again.

The FSSAI order says, “These draft regulations were notified, and final regulations are likely to take some more time before they are notified and enforced.” Keeping in mind the public health interest and to ensure food safety and fair practices in the operations of food businesses, it has been decided to re-operationalize the provisions of these regulations with effect from September 13, 2022, and ask food businesses to follow these provisions.

According to the rules, the fish were put into four groups, and the amount of formaldehyde in each group was limited.

Group 1 includes all marine species that are finfishes, such as Barracuda, Billfish, Bombay Duck, Bullseyes, Catfish, Croakers, Eels, File Fishes and Puffers, Flat Fishes, Goatfishes, Groupers (Rock Cods), Half Beaks and Full Beaks, Horse Mackerel, Leather Jacket (Queen Fish), Mackerel, Mullets, and Other Carangids.

Group II is made up of freshwater fish, such as finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. This group includes Indian major carps, minor carps, exotic carps, freshwater catfishes, snakeheads and Murrells, tilapia, trout, and all other freshwater fin fishes.

Formaldehyde can’t be more than 4.0 mg/kg in either Group I or Group II.

Group III is made up of marine species like lizard fishes and any other marine fishes not in Group I. The limit for formaldehyde in Group III is 8 mg/kg, while the limit for formaldehyde in Group IV is 100 mg/kg for all frozen marine fish products.

The regulations said that the limits could be changed based on data collected during different seasons and in different parts of the world, as well as on the analysis and advice of the scientific panel as needed. For fish and fish products from the sea that are not in Groups I or II, the limit for naturally occurring formaldehyde is 100 ppm.

The FSSAI made these rules about how much naturally occurring formaldehyde is allowed in freshwater and marine fish. They went into effect on February 10, 2020, and will be put back into effect in August 2020, November 2020, September 2021, and May 2022.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a draft on standards for Indian Namkeens under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2022, applicable to Indian Namkeens, savories, and snacks for direct human consumption, both pre-packaged and packaged products sold over the counter. 

Namkeens are defined in the draft as “traditional and/or innovative savory products based on Indian origin and culture.” They can be made using any one or a few of the raw materials and allowed ingredients stated in Section 2 of this regulation. 

They can be prepared in a variety of ways, including but not limited to steam cooking, boiling, baking, frying, extrusion, puffing, roasting, and similar methods. “The final product can be developed in any reasonable form or fashion,” the document reads. 

For grain-based Namkeens, this means millets, cereals, and pulses and/or their processed products or their combination; for fruit- and vegetable-based Namkeens, this means fruits and vegetables and/or their processed products; for dry fruits, nuts, and seeds-based Namkeens, this means any combination of the raw materials; and for composite Namkeens, this means any combination of the raw materials. 

The draft specifies under “quality factors” that all inputs into the manufacturing process must be of acceptable quality. Identifiable organoleptic qualities, including but not limited to appearance, texture, flavor, and taste, must be present in the final product. 

There must be no stale or unpleasant aftertaste. There must not be any bugs, bug parts, mold, or other offensive debris presents. Further, for all varieties of Namkeen, an acid value of 1 was set as the maximum allowable for free fatty acids as oleic acid equivalent. 

The labeling mandate states that all packages must clearly and legibly display the product’s name and any applicable category information, such as: What’s the name of the product? Type: Aloo Bhujia (fruit- and vegetable-based Namkeen).

This shall ensure and maintain standards of health and sanitation across the country and help people lead a healthy lifestyle.

The FSSAI has published a draft of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2022, which lays out standards for Indian mithais (sweets), which are intended for direct human consumption and are available over-the-counter in both pre-packaged and packaged forms.

The draft stipulates that the ingredients mentioned must adhere to the standards wherever they are required by these regulations and that each package must be labeled so that the name of the product and any applicable categories are visible (for example, the name of the product (sub-category) “khoya burfi”).

Additionally, the food business operator must list the type and percentage of milk solids under the list of ingredients on labels for mithais made with milk.

The draft includes the components that are necessary for different “kinds” of mithais. The list includes ingredients for milk-based mithais such as 

(i). Based on milk concentration According to the 2011 FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, milk, milk powders, cream, and milk fat products are all acceptable.

(ii). Based on khoa: khoa whose requirements fall under the 2011 FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations and 

(iii). Chhana-based: that comply with the 2011 FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations.

For non-milk-based mithais, raw sources include 

(i). Cereals, millets, pulses, or their processed products are grain-based 

(ii). Dry fruits, nuts, seeds, or their processed goods that are based on these ingredients 

(iii). Based on fruits and/or vegetables: fruits, vegetables, or their byproducts.

Any combination of the raw materials listed in these regulations may be used to create the raw materials for composite mithais, and additional approved ingredients, such as those listed in the FSS (FPS and FA) Regulations of 2011, may also be used, barring any restrictions.

Indian mithais are defined as traditional and creative sweets with roots in Indian heritage and culture, according to the mithai’s description. They can be made using any one or a combination of the raw materials and other permissible substances listed in Section 2 of these regulations, depending on the category to which they belong. They could go through numerous forms, styles, or consistencies of heating, cooking, steaming, boiling, fermentation, coagulation, drying, condensing, frying, roasting, baking, or similar operations, as well as any combination of those activities.

Needless to say a pan India regulation of sweet shops was required and now is coming to reality. This shall ensure universal healthcare and sanitation standards in the Indian food industry. 

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) FMCG summit was organized on 6th December 2023 in Mumbai to mark key points and growth strategies around FMCG, uncertainties, and digitalization. During his speech, T Koshy, CEO of ONDC stated that anyone with a product or service to offer can make it available in the open network and gain access to the platform. ONDC (Open Network For Digital Commerce) is an open network for many entities with various products that eventually lead to growth via e-commerceHe further added, “ONDC offers a set of requirements that will help retailers make their catalogs apparent to purchasers.”

Koshy claimed that there are several ways for regional producers to advertise their goods through ONDC, thus making room for more sales. The cost of starting an alternative e-commerce business in India will be prohibitive. One or two people are required to complete it. “However, the seller will be able to do so quickly and easily through ONDC,” he added.

According to B. Sumant, executive director of ITC, a corporation with various brands like ITC needs a strong supply chain to support it. Strong supply chains, he claims, help the brand thrive because they connect end users.

Sumant also mentioned that lowering customer acquisition costs while still making them profitable will be the next major hurdle in e-commerce. The standardization of procedures like cataloging, inventory management, order management, and order fulfillment, he claimed, will be accomplished by ONDC protocols.

Overall, with growing digital engagement it becomes natural for customers to buy online and enterprises to change their modes of selling and advertising through e-commerce. While the charm of on-site shopping still remains significant, digital campaigns are trying their best to incorporate the two to make the customer experience more holistic.

The FSSAI has updated the regulations governing genetically modified (GM) food products, substituting the previous document. The definitions provided in the previous document were modified in the new document known as the Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified Foods) Regulations, 2022, which also included provisions requiring food businesses to disclose the presence of GMOs on the front of the pack or label if a product contains 1% or more GM ingredient.

The revised draft includes definitions for terminology like GMO, GM food, modern biotechnology, and modified DNA.

The revised draft should apply to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) intended for use as food, food ingredients made from GMOs with DNA modifications, and food ingredients made from GMOs without DNA modifications. It contains GMO-derived components, chemicals, and processing aids.

These laws, however, will not apply to genome-edited crops in the SDN1 and SDN2 categories (SDN1 and SDN2 types of genome editing are currently being used in Indian labs to breed new crops with traits such as resistance to diseases, drought, salinity stresses, and improving nutritional quality through bio-fortification).

Additionally, prior authorization would be required for the production, distribution, sale, and import of these goods. According to the draft, “No person shall manufacture, pack, store, sell, market, distribute, or otherwise import any food or food ingredient produced from GMOs, except with the prior approval of the food authority, and the provisions of these regulations are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other rules or regulations made under the Act.”

The document further states that food business operators must concurrently submit an application for approval to the GEAC (Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee), Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) if a GMO is to be used as seeds or other plant-propagating material (cultivation).

Regarding labeling, the draft mandates that if a food product includes 1% or more of a single genetically modified ingredient, it must be marked with the phrase “Contains genetically modified organisms.” This label must be visible on the front of the box for pre-packaged goods.

According to the official document, “This labeling requirement also applies to the incidental or technically unavoidable presence of GM ingredients, but it does not apply to GM-food items in which the transformed DNA is not detectable.”

PepsiCo is the latest addition to the list of companies that have announced layoffs of employees. After Meta and Twitter Pepsico is now on the bandwagon to lay off its workforce. Mind you Pepsico is not a regular brand, many big brands like Lay’s, Gatorade, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Quaker Oats, and Doritos come under PepsiCo. Many jobs will be terminated, which will eventually affect the company and its position in the stock market 

The main reason behind all this chaos is to simplify the company so that work can be done more efficiently and effectively. The layoffs will be heavy for the beverage business. Yet, a looming recession can also be a reason in disguise. 

On December 25th, 2021, there were about 309000 employees across the world and 129000 in the US. Despite rising prices that have affected many households hard, demand for food and beverages supplied in supermarkets remains high. According to the research, PepsiCo and other food firms have raised prices to offset rising expenses for ingredients, transportation, and labor.

Despite an unclear economic forecast, the overall labor market in the United States is said to be historically tight, with companies fighting for a limited pool of employees and bidding up salaries.

Companies in the technology and media sectors have been laying off workers in recent months to save costs as the economy remains uncertain. Numerous food and beverage companies have also laid off workers, including Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and PepsiCo’s main competitor, Coca-Cola. Coke said in November that it will restructure its North American operations through a voluntary separation program that will include buyouts.

To conclude, growing inflation and a speculated recession fuel labor cost, and thus companies in order to cut costs eventually lay off employees. Big brands like PepsiCo in order to maintain their position in the market taken steps to maintain profit margins and market image. Let’s hope that big brands will step forward and exit the circle of layoffs.

The first food facility in Asia to receive the AWS Platinum-level certification—the global benchmark for water stewardship—is ITC’s food factory in Malur, Karnataka. The factory that makes noodles sold under the brand Yippee! in acknowledgment of its responsible water management actions, received the accreditation. The factory has taken the lead in creating integrated watershed development programmes for demand-side management by increasing water usage efficiency in the catchment area of its operations as well as cutting back on fresh water consumption within the unit.
The 360-degree water management programme at ITC is in line with the government’s major water efforts, such as the “Jal Shakti Abhiyan” and “More Crop Per Drop,” and is a component of the company’s Sustainability 2.0 (S2.0) mission, as expressed by chairman Sanjiv Puri.
ITC’s divisional chief executive for the food division, Hemant Malik, stated: “This milestone will further encourage us to scale up our measures to provide security of supply for our stakeholders around our factories in keeping with the aims anticipated in the company’s Sustainability 2.0 programme.”
A thorough water conservation programme has been implemented at the Malur Food factory and throughout the surrounding catchment area, which covers 40250 acres and is home to more than 75% of agricultural land, in accordance with ITC’s commitment to ensuring “Water for all, today and tomorrow.” However, due to a number of factors, including the hard rock aquifer system, quick urbanization, and altered agricultural practices, the factory initially encountered difficulties with the area’s water supply. As a result, tanker water became the main source of water for the unit. Aware of how serious the situation was, ITC launched a water stewardship mission in the catchment based on the recommendations from the groundwater assessment and in-depth hydrogeological studies by outside expert agencies.
As a result, an integrated water management strategy was started both inside the unit’s walls and in the four watersheds that surround it.