Vishal S S (cbedit@imaws.org)
The pandemic was the time where a lot of new innovations and opportunities were extending when there was an employment situation. The demand for the home bakers was getting into peak. Post pandemic, the market is getting back on track which is leading to the decline in demand from the Home bakers.
Established in the year 2000 at Nagpur, Maharashtra, ‘Maa Bhavani Sales’ is engaged as the foremost Wholesale Trader of Fresh Red Cherry, Cold Plaza, and many more products. The products which they sell are high in demand due to their premium quality, seamless finish, different patterns and affordable prices. Furthermore, they ensure to timely deliver these products to their clients, through this they have gained a huge clients base in the market.
Mr. Sanjay who is the owner of Maa Bhavani Sales, in 1999 he switched off his usual job as a yeast specialist and started his own business in 2000, which is ‘Maa Bhavani’ Sales. Initially, they started as a complete toast product. In 2011 distribution was on complete track and took premix crushes.
Dietary and Supplements
In 2000, the main focus was mainly on bread manufactures and there were very limited confectionery units or bakeries on a large scale. After 2010, cake manufacturing and cake outlets became flourishing in the industry because there was so much commercial exposure expanding during that time. Particularly in the confectionary division, there was so much innovation and experiments happening, which has taken the markets in a better way. This is the time when the premixes, brownies, chocolate flavors all came up.
“Maa Bhavani Sales deals with the distribution for Brown bread multi millet bread which comes under dietary category. Only a very low amount of the community opts for these types of healthy items. Fiber bread and soya powder which are also one of the healthy products were introduced in the market, but there was a lack of acceptance from the consumers”. Says Sanjay.
Natural Extracted Products
There are so many brands that are naturally extracted which Maa Bhavani Sales are distributing. The brand products antioxidants and preservatives which are in natural form are very costly but still, people are ready to pay for them. Only the ingredients like cocoa-powder and caramel color were added for bread previously and the consumers didn’t know the channels of these distributions and how it comes. There are a lot of products in the market which is not healthy in terms of their ingredients and mix. People are aware of it but still don’t interpret it in their decision of buying those products. The brand manufactures are more concentrated on their customer needs which can even satisfy them at the same time can supply the adequate quantity for the demand.
“We have to educate the manufacturer by showing the demand from the consumers in the market. Previously nobody knew what atta bread and brown bread and its health advantages, but now the brands have started evaluating it for their new innovations”. Added Sanjay.
Market Changes
Most of the products in the bread segment are tax-free and there weren’t so many changes that took place in this industry in terms of price. The changes were mainly in the exposures in the Homemade bakeries. Demand has boomed from the Home baker’s side.
During the lockdown, so many people were trying so many dishes in their homes, and ingredients and flavors had a huge demand in the market. New products are always approaching the market but not everyone is aware of this. Products like sugar paste which is imported from Turkey do not show a huge demand, only demand is available from some Chefs and Hotels.
“In my retail shop also there were some clients who were demanding different types of flavours. I personally suggested them not to consume or add these in large quantities in the food items” added sanjay.
Covid Challenges
In the name of bakery and essential goods and service, it was not affected and the office was never closed, in fact it was working with more doubt than previous. The demand was still there even during the pandemic period. Most of the people who lost their employment started getting to the food industry which was mainly into the confectionery area and they started it as a very business in their house.
“In most of the houses if the wife knows something like making cakes, the husband’s role is to get the materials required for the making and deliver the finished items to the customers, therefore the demand for the ingredients is still present”. Added Sanjay.
Distribution Channels
Maa Bhavani Sales deals with three types of customers which are Industrial Customers, Distributors and Home Bakers. The channel distribution takes place through the movement of four commercial vehicles for major brands like Haldirams and so on. Very less requirements like around 5kg to 10kg packets are delivered through two wheelers also. Maa Bhavani Sales distributed around nine to ten districts within Maharashtra and maintains both offline and online sales as per the requirements.
“Generally the demand for home bakers is getting declined because the market is back to its normal scenario” concluded Sanjay.