The customers should start reading the ingredient labels of their products and should not rely on influencers to inform them, says Musthafa PC, Chairman and CEO of iD Fresh Food.
Bengaluru-based fast-moving consumer goods company (FMCG), iD Fresh Food, is synonymous with dosa batter. Although the company is in the process of rolling out products such as Indian bread, fresh breakfast food items, frozen food, and a health portfolio comprising both food and beverages.
During the first edition of the Moneycontrol Startup Conclave, Musthafa PC discussed the impact of creating a clean food brand and why consumers should take charge of informing themselves about the ingredients in the food they consume. Responding to the recent food influencer videos that called out bigger food companies, he says that consumers should not rely solely on influencers to make better food choices.
“We don’t work with those influencers. But one thing I noticed as an entrepreneur is that I might get attacked tomorrow for something that is not part of my product, right? Somebody can create (content). So, I don’t want to come to a conclusion based on what influencers tell me,” he notes.
Musthafa PC’s appeal to all customers is to start looking at the ingredients.
“If you just Google the ingredients, you will understand what is good and what is bad for you and decide accordingly. I don’t think at this stage an influencer needs to tell you what is good or what is bad. If you look at the ingredients, you will know what is in the food and stay away from preservatives, chemicals, and artificial flavors. And that’s what we do at iD,” he adds.
There has been increased public discourse on bigger food companies being accountable by being transparent about the ingredients they use. Notably, Revant Himatsingka, a health and nutrition influencer known publicly as Foodpharmer, gained fame after a viral video highlighting the high sugar content of Bournvita. He has also made content calling out Pepsico India-owned energy drink brand Sting and Red Bull owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH for their high sugar content. He has also called out Hindustan Unilever (HUL)-owned ketchup brand Kissan Tomato Ketchup and Nestle India-owned Maggi tomato ketchup for their high sugar content.
Musthafa PC believes that companies with transparency as the theme of their business will definitely gain an edge among consumers.
“If companies have nothing to hide and they are fighting a war against preservatives, then consumers will respect those companies, and they will see a better future because people are becoming health-conscious,” he notes.
He also credits the Covid-19 pandemic for making consumers more health-conscious, and they are looking at the back label of products.
“They started reading ingredients on the backside. And thereby companies like us are benefiting, and if you look at the growth that we witnessed in the last three years, it was phenomenal because people are becoming health-conscious and started experimenting with or trying out healthier options,” he shares.
Consumers are also willing to pay a premium because they trust a brand, says Musthafa PC.
“Over the last few years, that is what we have tried to create. If it is iD, then you can trust it. If it is iD, then it should be clean and if it is iD, then it should be healthy. That is the brand proposition that we try to create,” he adds.
Musthafa PC is currently busy hiring talent that aligns with his vision of achieving scale and profitability by being a clean food brand. The company is all set to make a fresh start in the US this year by relaunching its operations, and as part of this plan, the company will introduce two popular food products, namely, parotta and chapati.
Read more: Food influencer Foodpharmer calls out PepsiCo for taking down video on Sting energy drink