By Laura Durham

in South Africa, Indian restaurants

have mush roomed. Consumers

are now even able to choose

between a North or South Indian

experience. As a result, your

customers now expect a lot more

from an Indian offering than

a few soggy samoosas in your

home meal replacement (HMR)

department.

We took a spicy journey – from East to

West to see what role retailers can play in

heating up their customers’ appetites.

Indian food in India Indian cuisine is a mixing pot of fragrance,

spice and foreign influence – all of which

has now been shared with the world. Says

Sanjay Anand, who lives in New Delhi,

India: “Indian food essentially derives all its

flavours, components and techniques from

various foreign influences. India’s history

is generously sprinkled with a number of

foreign invasions, all of which have left

an indelible mark on its cultural, social,

religious and culinary aspects.”

Sharing meals … just differentlyTraditionally, meals in India were eaten

while seated on the floor or on very low

stools or cushions. “Food is most often eaten

with the right hand rather than cutlery.

Often roti (round soft flat unleavened

bread) is used as a scoop so the curry does

not touch the hands,” explains Anupam

Gulati, senior sous chef at The Oberoi hotel

in Gurgaon, India.

However, as society has modernised and

restaurants and formal supermarkets have

popped up around the country, eating has

moved to kiryani stores (corner shops),

restaurants and takeaway joints.

Chef K. Thirugnanasambantham, head

of the food production department at the

Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel

Administration at Manipal University

elaborates:

“A visit to restaurants at dinner time will

give the impression that the best place

to share mealtimes is no longer the cosy

comfort at home. Mealtimes are important

in joint families with the elders in such a

family insisting on quality time together.

But as the work culture has caused

tremendous change, families do their best

to be together for at least one meal, which

a work-weary woman would like to have in

a good restaurant or some eating joint.”

“Eating out is fashionable today and not

a necessity. Eating in big restaurants is also

considered a status symbol,” he adds.

The growth of formal supermarkets has

also changed the way fresh food is sourced

and prepared for the family. However,

Sanjay Anand from New Delhi says it

31SUPERMARKET & RETAILER, SEPTEMBER 2012

I N D I A N F O O D F O C U S

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Phot

ogra

pher

: Rol

ien

Slot

ema

Keep calm and curry on

Use Indian food to capture your customers’ pockets as times get tougher

INDIAN FOOD FOCUS

Customers can now choose from a variety of cook-in sauces, which makes whipping up a curry for dinner a much simpler process.

Bottled chutneys and curry pastes save customers time and money – they now don’t need to make these ingredients and accompaniments from scratch.

remains to be seen whether supermarkets

will be able to overthrow the market

culture. “Though supermarkets are quite

a recent trend and they do seem to be

catching on in terms of popularity, India’s

local market culture has an extremely

strong foothold in the country. India is still,

essentially, a nation of joint families where

groceries are purchased at a single time for

a whole month’s use.”

Spice up Indian food in-storeThe big question is – how can you bring a

real touch of India to your store? Durban

retailers have no doubt got it waxed

with hot curries and bunny chows being

commonplace on the HMR menu. But

besides the takeaway option for immediate

consumption, customers are now also

looking to recreate an Indian experience at

home.

“It is true that curry is readily available in

South Africa and lots of people make their

own curries. But the difference between

these curries and the ones from India is the

ingredients (e.g. watermelon seeds, cashew

nuts, fenugreek etc.) and authenticity,”

comments Ursula Ristau-Schaefer, co-

owner of O’South International Trading

Company. After spending three years in

India and falling in love with the diversity

of Indian cuisine, husband and wife team,

Olaf and Ursula decided to bring in the

Vadilal Quick Treats range of products to

the South African market.

Heat ‘n eat curry accompaniments like rice, naan and roti are a convenient option for busy customers.

“The average South African does not

know how to create curries like undhiu,

methi mutter malai, bhindi, masala, baingan

bharta or tamarind rice. These meals

require the right ingredients and skills

and a ready-to-heat range (in the oven or

microwave) like that from Vadilal Industries

offers a convenient and value-for-money

offering.

Products such as heat ‘n eat naan and

roti also make preparing a full Indian feast

less time consuming for busy consumers.

Looking in the aisles of most

supermarkets, there is an increasingly

wide range of powder and cook-in sauces

available to simplify the curry making

process. Chutneys and pastes add to the

authenticity of the dish. Ready-to-eat

Basmati and biryani (or breyani) rice are

also making their appearance on the

shelves to save customers the maximum

amount of time and effort when whipping

up an Indian dinner. Chakalaka and atchar

are popular additions to curries and regular

stews and casseroles too. And, of course, we

cannot forget about the array of spices and

curry powders needed to literally, spice up

every dish.

Some customers might feel that mass

produced spices aren’t authentic enough,

32SUPERMARKET & RETAILER, SEPTEMBER 2012

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There are many misconceptions

about Indian food outside of India.

Anupam Gulati, senior sous chef at

The Oberoi hotel in Gurgaon, India

tries to break them down:

Indian food is spicy“Well, yes, a lot of spice combinations are

used but they do not necessarily make the

food spicy unless intended. The idea is to

enhance the flavours, not make the food

inedible.”

Everything is fatty and unhealthy“The medium of fat is the cook’s choice.

Nowadays, people are moving to healthier

options like olive oil – evidence of adapting

to healthier options. Also remember, we are

the ones who gave Ayurveda to this world

with healing foods and ingredients from

grandma’s kitchen.”

All Indian dishes are curries and use a lot of curry powder“Curry powder is just a mix of a couple of

spices used in one or two dishes – not all

of them – and not all dishes are curries.

We have a wide variety of non-curry dishes

which are dry and delicious to taste. Beans

poriyal, aloo jeera, bhindi masala, gobhi

adraki are to name a few.”

Indians are vegetarians“This has definitely changed over the years

as seen by the popularity of dishes like

butter chicken and chicken tikka masala

(also named Britain’s national dish!). There

are a fair amount of vegetarians in India,

but it’s not everyone!”

All Indian food tastes the same“Indian food has taken on influences

from as far as central Asia, South East

Asia and Turkey. The British era also had a

deep influence and introduced many new

ingredients that are now widely used across

regions alongside native foods. Over the

years, boundaries have been rewritten time

and again and it is impossible to define

India’s rich and varied cultural heritage

within the modern day definitions. Each

area has its own gastronomic traditions,

techniques and tastes.”

INDIAN FOOD FOCUSso some retailers have introduced a spice market feel in the condiment aisle. Some Food Lover’s Market stores, for example, offer customers the real market experience of dishing up the exact quantity of their required spices – be it masala, curry powder or cloves.

More and more retailers are also offering recipe handouts or interactive kiosks from which they can print out their desired Indian recipe – and source all the ingredients in-store. Coupled with chef demonstrations in-store, customers will be able to experience Indian food for themselves – and finally be brave enough to try a biryani, dhal or curry at home, complete with raita (yoghurt cucumber sauce) and roti … and all.

34SUPERMARKET & RETAILER, SEPTEMBER 2012

Besides offering a few Indian options in your home meal replacement (HMR) department, why not also introduce a range of ready-made meals to take home.

Create an international cuisine section in your store so customers can easily find all the components they need for a specific themed meal.

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English terms for the Hindi wordsBaingan – Aubergine/eggplant

Bharta – refers to dishes in which

the ingredients are roughly mashed

Bhindi – Okra or ladyfingers

Chhole – Chickpeas

Dal – Lentil

Dal tadka – Tempered lentils

Dum pukht – baked or steamed

Malai – the creamy mixture for

methi mutter malai

Masala – a spice mixture ground

into a paste or powder

Methi – Fenugreek

Moong dal – Green lentil

Mutter – Peas

Palak – Spinach

Paneer – Cottage cheese

Undhiu – Gujarati mixed vegetable

casserole

Tikka – bits and pieces (e.g. chicken

tikka masala means pieces of chicken

with masala flavour)

The Petite Cake concept consists of two package options

with all the necessary ingredients to make a range of appealing cost effective

cakes for your customers.

The Petite Cake package includes a free recipe book as well as an upmarket branding concept consisting

of free labelling that will assist you in marketing this delightful range of Petite cakes. The new Petite Cake

range and trendy packaging with easy to use recipes and great decorating ideas will assist you in restor-

ing the consumers faith in retail bought cakes. With a suggested retail selling price of between R29.99 and

R34.99 the Petite cakes give great affordability to your customers and excellent margins to you.

For a free demonstration and costing contact your local Chipkins representative.

Chipkins Bakery Supplies has the products, the tools and most importantly the people to help you succeed.

BloemFoNTeIN

Tel: (051) 435 3502/3

Fax: (051) 435 3505

BoTSWANA

Tel: (00267) 318 2820

Fax: (00267) 318 2819

CAPe ToWN

Tel: (021) 551 4521

Fax: (021) 551 1988

DuRBAN

Tel: (031) 574 7400

Fax: (031) 574 7428

eAST loNDoN

Tel: (043) 722 3391

Fax: (043) 722 3398

HeAD oFFICe

Tel: (011) 201 9400

Fax: (011) 201 9625

JoHANNeSBuRg

Tel: (011) 201 9400

Fax: (011) 201 9624

NAmIBIA

Tel: (00264) 61269753

Fax: (00264) 61269754

NelSPRuIT

Tel: (013) 752 3412

Fax: (013) 752 3295

PoloKWANe

Tel: (015) 298 8394

Fax: (015) 298 8317

PoRT elIzABeTH

Tel: (041) 369 0001

Fax: (041) 369 0006

Rolien Slotema went to India

earlier this year, visiting Mumbai

and the northern parts of the

country.

Spicy fragrances, bright dyes everywhere

Food is almost an expression of the people

Family-based culture – weddings where anyone is invited to share the buffet

Eating with right hand and starch to accompany every meal (rice, naan or roti)

Meat – or lack thereof. Lots and lots of vegetarianism

Alcohol free mostly, delicious spiced teas

Street stalls – so good and so cheap

Cities are hectic and dirty, men stare at female tourists

So many people, bicycles and cows everywhere!

Fields and fields of chillies in the country – the small, little red chillies will blow your mind!

35SUPERMARKET & RETAILER, SEPTEMBER 2012

A traveller’s take on Indian food