‘Make in India’ campaign was formed by the Government of India to make the country independent and reduce imports from the rest of the world. People were becoming dependent upon foreign companies for products and hence, this campaign was introduced for the growth of the Indian economy. Since its launch, it has given a huge boost to Indian-made products. A lot of manufacturers have begun to make a contribution towards the same and even the consumers now prefer ‘Made in India’ products.

Made-in-India brands always had some relevance in the market but they are now becoming more visible because they are able to compete with international brands. Everyone is more inclined to homegrown, natural, organic products and support businesses that have adopted the same ideologies. The overall growth of start-up culture and entrepreneurs bringing in new ideas are also helping the ‘Made in India’ brands to gain more relevance.

Changing Consumer Sentiments about 'Made in India' Products

Earlier, Indian manufactured products were not considered top quality products and were not looked up to. Now the quality and the premiumness of the products manufactured under the Make in India campaign have increased considerably and the consumers are also accepting it and are considering Make In India products as upmarket and premium. The whole perception towards Make In India products has changed now.

Indian brands are now providing quality that is at par with the international brands. Previously, an international brand was considered to be superior by the customers but now the Indian brands are also developing their own value through constant innovation.

“Additionally, there has been a general shift in the behavior of customers because they are now more aware of what they are consuming. This is also in line with the Prime Minister’s message of creating an Atmanirbhar Bharat. The customers understand that they have a crucial role to play in this area,” Akhil Jain, Executive Director, Madame said.

Products on Offer

Madame is a fashion retailer that feels 'sustainable fashion' is a philosophy and the trend is now moving towards environmentally-friendly fashion. The brand is committed to providing environment-friendly fashion and spreading awareness by constantly looking for ways to redefine fashion by creating sustainable and ethical products.

Honestly Natural Ice Cream offers flavors ranging from fruit and dry fruit variations to international flavors such as Mediterranean Sea Salted Caramel, Madagascar Chocolate, French Vanilla, and those inspired by Indian sweets such as Gulab Jamun, Sheer Khurma, Til Gud, and Gajar Halwa to name a few. The brand contains no artificial flavors, coloring agents, or preservatives.

Cremica Foods is one of the biggest brands in the food industry for the supply of sauces such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and a wide range of products covered in other categories. The tomato paste in the production of Cremica ketchup is used up to 34.5 percent. The innovation is brought in the quality of the ketchup manufactured and as a result, Cremica is the third largest supplier of ketchup in the country. Other than ketchup, innovation is also introduced in the making of Mayonnaise by using Cranola rice bran oil which increases the quality to another level.

How are These Products Being Marketed?

NIC Honestly Natural Ice Cream is going heavy now on marketing where it is now doing digital marketing, social media marketing, performance marketing, influencer marketing, celebrity outreach, PR, print ads, digital ads along with in-app banners and promotions on major food delivery mobile apps.

Similarly, Madame understands the power of social media and that is where it is investing a lot of its energy. The brand wants to tell the customer that this is a locally produced product by a homegrown brand. It is a matter of pride for the brand, and it also gives the customer connect with the brand.

Cremica is working on ground level to build the distribution and sales network in the metro and urban areas. A new line of products is in the current pipeline of the company’s major plans. The research and development team is currently working on the innovation for new products. Different categories such as sauces, syrups, etc. are targeted to bring innovation.

Pricing Strategy for 'Made in India' Brands

There is a difference in the pricing of 'Made in India' brands compared to other global brands. This is because the local brands have a competitive advantage. They have their entire infrastructure within the country, they understand the culture, and they can also procure the raw material at reasonable prices. Again, if you take the example of clothing, many international brands also have their manufacturing facilities in South Asia. This is because the labor is available here at a cheaper cost. So, the pricing strategy is definitely different, but it is not because local brands are using lower costs to attract customers. In a nutshell, there are various ways in which production costs can be brought down by the local brands and these brands are also willing to pass on the benefit to the customer.

Global Markets on Radar

Just like the international products compete successfully against local products in the Indian market, the local products should also reach various markets internationally. Now, there has been a long-standing demand for Indian textile products, art, handicraft, IT, and much more. Therefore, Indian products and brands have a good reputation in the global markets anyway.

Cremica has exported its products to the Middle East countries such as UAE, Canada, and Africa amongst others. Prior to the exports, it took 30 to 45 days to reach the countries. The upgradation is brought in the time process for reaching products outside India.

“The supply of Ketchup and mayonnaise to the Indian retail suppliers are made as per the time process specified with them. We are using Italian technology for the manufacturing of the food products which has increased our production rate threefold. We are planning to export our products in the neighboring countries in particular for the expansion of business,” Akshay Bector, MD, Cremica Food Industries Limited asserted.

“As we grow, we would like to expand further in the global markets as well because there is a lot of potential. This will provide more value to the brand and help us in growing our business,” Jain added.

“As of now, we are proud to be a Made in India brand and are available across over 70 cities in India majorly through all online food delivery platforms. We are also exploring the options to increase our footprint outside of India, which is also on our table now,” Sanjiv Shah, Director, Walko Food Company Pvt Ltd, which owns the brand NIC Honestly Natural Ice Cream concluded.