Unilever India’s demerger with Wall’s ‘maximises potential’ for ice cream growth
Unilever’s India business entity Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) says its planned demerger with Kwality Wall’s (India) Ltd (KWIL) ice cream business via a demerger, hoping to maximise the latter’s potential and growth in the country.
HUL announced the demerger with KWIL on 10 January 2025, stressing that this move was a forward-looking measure to ensure the latter would be able to fulfil its potential in India.
“This is because the delisting will establish KWIL as a separately listed entity that has its own focused management, which will then be able to have greater flexibility to deploy strategies suited to ice cream’s distinctive business model,” said HUL CFO Ritesh Tiwari.
HUL CEO Rohit Jawa added that this demerger is also considered a major step within the company’s plans for increased focus on key target areas within its portfolio.
‘India is ready for cultivated meat’: Start-up to debut ‘competitively priced’ 3D-printed chicken in 2025
Sixty percent of consumers in India are willing to consume cultivated meat and 46 percent would pay a premium for it, according to a survey by Biokraft Foods, a biotech start-up that aimed to launch 3D-printed chicken in 2025.
Sixty percent of consumers in India are willing to consume cultivated meat and 46 percent would pay a premium for it, according to a survey by Biokraft Foods, a biotech start-up aiming to leverage this interest by launching 3D-printed chicken in 2025.
Biokraft Foods was founded in 2023 and is supported by incubator programmes that include ICT Mumbai, SPTBI, and iCREATE.
The firm is looking to price its product at Rs300–350 (USD3.50–4) per kg for the B2B premium meat market.
Unilever India renews commitment to grow Horlicks and Boost as core portfolio products
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) continues to place its faith in its Nutrition Drinks portfolio comprising the Horlicks and Boost brands as future key growth products, despite domestic growth challenges.
According to HUL CEO and Managing Director Rohit Jawa, the overall FMCG market in India has witnessed subdued demand trends in the 2024 financial year so the firm remains cautious about the market moving forward.
“Though palm oil and tea prices have eased sequentially, the rupee has further depreciated against the dollar and given the current geopolitical climate, we will continue to closely watch this space for any volatility.”
Despite this uncertainty, HUL is determined to not just play it safe but to continue pushing for growth in one of its most-challenging categories historically, namely that of Nutrition Drinks.
India proposes mandatory milk product logo, plus larger sat fat, sugar, salt labels
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed mandating a logo on milk products, while calling for more prominent salt, sugar and fat labelling.
This is one of the three amendments proposed in the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Amendment Regulations, 2025.
The food authority is calling for public comments regarding these proposed amendments from February 18 to April 20.
The draft notification published on February 18 proposed that “all milk and milk products, including composite milk products … shall carry the logo as specified”.
It also provided the colour and size specifications for components of the logo, which is a white drop enclosed within a blue square box.
India proposes new guidelines for vegan food imports
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new guidelines requiring all imported vegan foods to carry an official certificate from a recognised authority in the exporting country, specifying compliance with India’s vegan regulations.
The certificate, which serves as proof of compliance with India’s vegan food regulations, must be issued in the format specified in Form I of the proposed amendments.
Key changes include ensuring that the product has not undergone animal testing for any purpose, including safety assessments, unless required by a regulatory authority.
Vegan and non-vegan raw materials must also be stored separately. The production line must also be distinct from facilities handling non-vegan ingredients.
India’s FSSAI to tighten licensing rules for ‘high risk’ products
Firms producing infant nutrition, packaged drinking water, and other “high-risk” items must obtain either a State or Central License that involves stricter compliance requirements.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed stricter licensing rules for manufacturers of high-risk food products – including infant formula, milk powders, packaged drinking water, non-carbonated water-based beverages – citing concerns over safety compliance among small-scale operators.
Under the new proposal, no new FSSAI registrations or renewals will be allowed for firms producing these categories.
Instead, manufacturers must obtain either a State or Central License, both of which involve higher compliance requirements, technical oversight, and regular inspections.
Food business operators of “high risk” categories will no longer be eligible for basic FSSAI registration, and must transition to a full license within six months.
Zepto food scandal exposes India quick commerce risks
Zepto’s Mumbai hub exposed for major hygiene lapses, revealing weak food safety enforcement and cold chain gaps in India’s booming quick commerce sector.
The race for speed and convenience is raising food safety concerns in India’s quick commerce sector, with experts calling for stricter enforcement and greater supplier accountability.
This was highlighted after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected Zepto’s Mumbai facility on 31 May, uncovering fungal growth in foods and products stored on wet filthy floors.
The findings have cast a spotlight on the food safety risks that may be overlooked in the pursuit of ultra-fast delivery by quick commerce platforms, which have rapidly transformed India’s retail landscape.
Unilever India turns to small pack, Korean inspiration to survive ‘slowed’ consumer demand
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) is hedging its bets on small retail packs and Korean Hallyu wave inspiration for its food business amid subdued FMCG demand in the country.
The firm observed that consumers are titrating consumption and market data has shown a step-up in the pace of growth for small packs across its portfolio, including for foods and beverages.
HUL CFO Ritesh Tiwari explained that this is not the first time the company has seen smaller packs emerging as a prime consumer choice during difficult times.
In addition to smaller packs, HUL has also identified Korean culture as a strategy to draw in local consumers, riding on the recent resurgence of the popular Squid Game television series on Netflix after the release of its second season.
India urges cuts of oil, sugar in foods under Modi’s anti-obesity plan
Following PM Modi’s call to curb obesity, India’s FSSAI is urging states to cut oil use by 10% and roll out ‘sugar boards’ to promote healthier diets in schools.
Indian authorities have urged all states to step up public awareness campaigns and implement targeted interventions to combat obesity, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a 10% reduction in oil consumption and broader dietary reforms.
At its 47th Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) urged coordinated action from governments, schools, and the food industry to address obesity and improve dietary habits.
The meeting followed remarks by PM Modi in his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, where he identified excessive oil intake as a major contributor to obesity and called for national reduction efforts.
‘A national shame’: FSSAI embroiled in fight over ORS label misuse
India’s latest labelling ban has been stayed by a New Delhi court, raising concerns over continued sales of high-sugar oral rehydration products.
JNTL, producer of ORS products under the ORSL brand, filed a petition on October 17 against the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) recent ban on ‘ORS’ (oral rehydration salts) label usage.
The New Delhi court has since restrained enforcement of the ban against JNTL’s stock of ORS products, giving the firm a week to make representations on the case.
Paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, who has campaigned for eight years to restrict non-compliant ORS products, urged authorities to ensure only WHO-recommended formulations are sold in pharmacies and supermarkets.
