Evolving Food Safety Trends and Means to Establish Consumer Confidence

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and BSI (British Standards Institution) are delighted to present this discussion on the evolving food safety trends and means to establish consumer confidence with an extended panel of key food and drink stakeholders.

Consumer’s affinity to brands has seen a massive shift in the recent pasts and is growing where food safety standards or food safety assurances are guaranteed to the highest level. Countries with robust food safety standards have been able to penetrate further into far reaching markets and this ever-evolving trend is going to continue near foreseeable future. Customers’ willingness to bear the cost of enhanced food safety has been showing an upward trajectory and this loyalty will help rake in the better molla for most compliant companies or processors.

In this backdrop it is exciting to see the recently announced “Atmanirbhar Bharat Campaign” which translates to Self-Reliant India by the Prime Minister of India and the need for India to position itself in an advantageous spot to find a deeper global market penetration for its agricultural, food, and drink products. While streamlining the Indian food safety compliance ecosystem, it is also the need of the hour to adapt measures in a risk based, proportionate, robust, and resilient manner to modernize the way food businesses are regulated in India.

Panellists

DAVID HORLOCK – Managing Director, Global Food and Retail Supply Chain,
BSI

David has a Bachelor of Business Degree in Agribusiness with 38 years’ work experience in the Agri-Food, Life Science, Commodities, Consumer Products and International Standards and Certification sector dealing with Organizational Resilience, Operational Resilience and Supply Chain Resilience. His positions include international management postings working as a CEO, Country Manager, Global Product Manager for internationally recognized Organizations gained from postings in HK/China, Philippines, Thailand, Australia and UAE.

David started his career as an Animal Health Specialist and Agronomist working across a broad range of agriculture sectors and was instrumental in developing major Agriculture Quality and Safety standards is Australia to protect the clean green image of Australian produce.

As an Organizational Resilience and Supply Chain Compliance professional, David is well versed with the needs of business, global brands and retailers wishing to protect their brands and implement the necessary best practice guidelines to ensure their businesses can stand the test of time. He is a dual UK/Australian citizen, born and raised in Thailand, lived and educated in Australia and currently based in HK/China for the last 14 years where he has had VP and Managing Director responsible for the Asia Pacific region covering 17 Countries. He is currently the BSI Managing Director for Global Food and Retail Supply Chain.

RICHARD WERRAN – Regional Director UK, Eire, Continental Europe and IMETA – Food and Retail Supply Chain
BSI

Richard’s food career began as a food technologist and spans almost 40 years and has worked in all aspects of international food ingredient and food manufacturing sectors. Richard pioneered the import, processing and distribution of Non-GMO soy lecithin from Brazil designing and building a unique soy lecithin processing plant in the UK. Richard founded Cert ID Europe a UKAS accredited certification body, FoodChain Europe and Cert ID Asia; as BSI’s EMEA Regional Director for Food and Retail Supply Chain he drives BSI food initiative across the region. Richard is an acknowledged expert on genetic modification and is a Fellow of the IFST and the Society of Food Hygiene & Technology.

AMIT ANAND – Managing Director
Apis India Limited

A Delhi University Graduate from Kirori Mal College in Commerce he spearheads key functions of Overall Plant Management; Human Resources; and Finance functions.

The Managing Director of the company the younger of the two siblings he has played the perfect foil to the elder in initiating the GREEN FIELD initiative of the factory in Roorkee. Leading from the front in all factory operations a person with hand on person in executing all details at the plant level.

SANJEEV VIJH – Senior General Manager, Corporate Relations
Diageo India

Sanjeev Vijh heads the public policy domain for Diageo India (United Spirits Limited) in North India and Federal Government. Having a professional experience of over 30 years now in Operations and Public Policy domains with companies like Duncans Industries Limited in their Tea division in managing operations for their Tea Estates in Darjeeling and Dooars (West Bengal), and then with Vodafone India Limited in their Telcom operations in circles in north India supporting the launch of critical circles of J&K and Himachal Pradesh and leading regulatory and public policy in all states in north India.

Sanjeev has now been part of the Alco-Bev sector for over eight years with first Pernod Ricard India Private Limited and now with Diageo India wherein playing a pivotal role in leading discussions with key government operatives in states of north India as well with the various ministries and departments of the Federal government and arriving at logical outcomes for the industry as well as the company. He has played a key role in shaping excise policies, regulations and rules in states in north India and driving issues around taxation and Ease of Doing Business within the Federal domain.

DINIKA BHATIA – Founder & CEO
DRB Foods

Dinika pursued her Business Administration at University of Southern California, where Nutty Gritties was conceptualised at the Entrepreneurship program. Her inclination towards a healthy lifestyle led to the birth of DRB Foods and Nutty Gritties, a range of premium dry fruits with healthy basics and exotics. The second brand, Eighty7 – highlighting the legacy of the family business since 1887, was launched in October 2017. Nutty Gritties is also the category leader and driver in India. Building the brand on innovation, Dinika has received several recognitions for entrepreneurship from prestigious institutions like Walmart, Amity University and Delhi Management Association.

NITIN AGRAWAL – Founder and Promoter
Euro Fruits Private Limited

Nitin is the founder and promoter of Euro Fruits Private Limited, a leading exporter of premium quality Table Grapes to the European markets. Euro Fruits is one of India’s leading accredited fresh produce exporter with GlobalGAP, BRC, BSCI, SMETA-ETI, Fair-Trade, ISO 14000, ISO 18000 Certifications.

Nitin has profound knowledge of global best practices on Fresh Produce Post Harvest Management with an experience of over 30 years in Food Safety, Traceability, Social Compliance and Sustainability Practices. He is an active member of India Netherlands Business Association (INBA) and has been invited as a key speaker at various international fruit association conferences in USA, Chile, Italy, Spain, Singapore, and South Africa.

Euro Fruits has been exporting Premium Table Grapes to UK Supermarket clients like Sainsbury / Marks & Spencer / Morrisons / Aldi / COOP for the past 2 decades and more. Euro Fruits speciality is to offer Safest and Healthiest Grapes to all the consumers in the UK & Europe. Euro Fruits believe in – Being Responsible – Being Sustainable.

ASHIMA AGRAWAL – Head – Organic Foods
Fabindia Overseas Private Limited

Ashima is the Category Head for Organic Foods at Fabindia, India’s largest private platform for products that are made from traditional techniques, skills, and hand-based processes. Fabindia links over 55,000 craft based rural producers to modern urban markets, thereby creating a base for skilled, sustainable rural employment, and preserving India’s traditional handicrafts in the process.

With over 25 years’ experience in product conceptualization, development, launch and management, Ashima holds master’s in science, Microbiology from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology.

VIKAS D NAHAR – Founder and Director
Happilo International

Vikas D Nahar founded Happilo in 2016, a D2C brand in dried fruits and nuts and heathy snacks. The wide range includes nuts, berries, trail mixes, roasted and salted mixes, dried fruit, peas, peanuts, corn, and a building variety of natural and flavored seeds.

Vikas has been serial entrepreneur with 10+ years of experience before launching Happilo. He was recently recognized in Times 40 under 40 and has done MBA marketing from Symbiosis University Pune.

SHAISHAV MITTAL – Founder and CEO
Lovely Bake Studio

Shaishav Mittal is the founder and CEO of Lovely Bake Studio – one of the fastest growing FMCG brand in India. Shaishav completed his MBA degree from Babson college (USA) and went on to work in a Marketing Leadership role in Boston. But his true calling was always back home and his desire to grow his existing family business spanning across Education, Automobile Dealerships and Indian Sweets saw him soon return to India.

On his return, Shaishav’s inherent business acumen and deep understanding of the consumer landscape led him to identify a large demand-supply gap for 100% Eggless food products. Especially in a country like India where most of the population are pure vegetarians, and the new generation is growingly health conscious. So along with an expert team of chefs and food specialists, Shaishav formulated an entire new range of Eggless Cookies, Organic Cookies, Biscuits, Rusks, Eggless Dry Cakes, Namkeens, Vegetarian Frozen Snacks & Sweets and thus Lovely Bake Studio – The home of Eggless Baking was started in 2014. The rest as they say is history! Today Lovely Bake Studio has presence across 2000 Supermarkets across, 20 States, 40 Cities and all major airports in India with growing exports to UK, USA, Australia, Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Chile.

PRAVIN KUMAR SINGH – Lead, Public Policy & Advocacy
Marico Limited

As ‘Lead – Public Policy and Advocacy’ at Marico, Pravin is responsible for government affairs function. Earlier, as an ‘APAC Environmental Program Lead – Chemicals/Product Stewardship’ at Cargill, he was accountable for development and deployment of product stewardship programs in Asia-Pacific.

Before this role, Pravin was the ‘General Manager- Public Policy & Corporate Relations’, at Diageo India. Basis analysis of existing and proposed laws and regulations, he spearheaded strategies by designing regulatory and legislative proposals; and engaging with policymakers, their staffs and third parties.

Earlier, as a ‘Country Leader for Product Stewardship & Regulatory and Public Policy’ at DuPont-India, Mr. Singh was responsible for Compliance (Import-Export and product regulatory), Hazard Communications, Product Stewardship Reviews for new product/application development (for all businesses) and advocacy on Public Policy (chemicals and environment domain). He also looked after the coordination of activities related to Responsible Care® (annual plan, implementation, audits and submissions). He was appointed as the Co-chairman of ‘Sustainability, Responsible Care and Safety, Health & Environment Expert Committee’ in ICC. At DuPont, Pravin started his career as an Intellectual Property Specialist and also held the additional role of ‘Environment Competency Leader’. Mr. Singh holds a PhD and Masters from IIT Delhi.

MIHIR MOHANTA – General Manager Supply Chain
Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd

Mihir Mohanta has worked for more than 28 years in the sourcing & supply chain function in the agri-food industry. He has a varied experience in the entire food-chain from crop production, procurement, food processing as well as food retailing. He has rich organizational understanding as he worked in multinational companies (PEPSICO), cooperative (OIL ORISSA), private (ADITYA BIRLA) as well as quasi-government (MOTHER DAIRY) organizations. His commodity experience spans across a host of commodity categories like cereals, pulses, spices, edible oil & flavours. His latest & most challenging assignment is managing fresh Fruits & Vegetables supply chain.

Mr. Mohanta’s expertise revolves around creating agrarian value chain, thereby connecting farmers with markets. Currently, he works as General Manager (SCM) with Mother Dairy. On his current profile he is working directly with farmers across 20 states of India.

NITIN SHANKAR NAGRALE – CEO India and Emerging Markets
Quality New Zealand

Dr Nitin Shankar Nagrale is working with M/s Quality New Zealand as CEO India and Emerging Markets since February 2020. A unique business model owned by some world class cricketers of New Zealand like Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, Brandon McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Geoff Allot.

He brings with him a rich experience of over 25 years during which he has been actively involved in managing procurement and supply chain procedures for key hotels like Taj Mahal Palace & Towers, Taj Land’s End (The Regent Mumbai), Grand Hyatt Mumbai, The Westin Mumbai Garden City, Sofitel Mumbai BKC and upcoming The Chedi Mumbai (formerly Radisson Blu Plaza Mumbai) as Director Materials. He serves as an advisory board member for various food and drink associations such as Indian Food Delegation, India International Hospitality Expo (IHE), IDE Global, and Better Kitchen.

Nitin graduated from Mumbai University with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce. He has obtained Diploma in Materials Management from IIMM Bangalore and Diploma in Hotel Management in Catering Technology & applied Nutrition from IHM, Mumbai. He has also completed master’s in marketing management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai.

AVINASH TRIPATHI – Vice President, Concept Head – Premium Grocery
Reliance Retail

Avinash Tripathi is the Vice President and Concept Head of Premium Grocery at Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited. He is responsible for category management, operations, designing promotions, and strategic planning. Prior to this, Avinash worked as an Associate Vice President, Buying and Merchandising Head at Nature’s Basket Limited.

Avinash completed Post Graduate Diploma in Agri Business Management from National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur and holds a Master’s degree in Horticulture Science from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University.

DEEPAK KUCHERIYA – Head of Modern Trade and Alternate Channels
Wingreens Farms

With 20 plus years of work experience in Indian Food and Healthcare Industries, Deepak Kucheriya is currently working with Wingreens Farms as Head of Modern Trade. He has also worked with organizations like McCormick Kohinoor, Cadbury’s, Lupin and Himalaya taking care of Sales and Marketing for India.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in science and Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing, Deepak has done Senior Management program from IIM Calcutta and is presently pursuing his PHD in Management with topic pertaining to Indian Food Industry.

SHUBHI MISHRA – Head of Food & Drink Policy, Advocacy & Trade Promotion
UK India Business Council (UKIBC)

Shubhi leads the UK India Business Council’s Food & Drink Advocacy Group and Trade Promotion services based in Delhi.

With 12-plus years of experience in responsible positions and over 9 years with the United States of Department of Agricultural (USDA) at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi as Senior Agricultural Specialist, Shubhi brings a vast amount of international and bilateral experience.

At USDA, Shubhi worked on numerous marketing, advocacy, and advisory projects garnering an in-depth knowledge of agribusiness, micro and macroeconomics, food safety-regulatory measures, regulatory & policy issues, and food & agricultural price policy/agricultural trade policy. Her hallmarks include in-depth understanding of both Indian and related international trade policy issues and she has worked on regulatory aspects related to agriculture, food, and beverage sector (including market access issues, WTO, SPS, and TBT) subjects in close association with various ministries/agencies under Government of India and Indian trade bodies.