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Economic Times
03-08-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
On a health kick, FMCG companies chase sugar-free rush
TIL Creatives Representative Image Bengaluru | Kolkata: When over half of colas sold in India have gone low or completely sugar-free (as per PepsiCo's lead bottler Varun Beverages), can packaged food be left behind? While low-sugar or sugar-free food products may not be dominating sales yet, companies such as Britannia Industries, Nestle, Tata Consumer Products and Marico have driven a marked reduction in the level of sugar, sodium and fat in their products. There is also an increase in wholegrains and millets, vitamins and micronutrients in the products of these companies, including ITC and AWL Agri Business, as per disclosures in their annual, business and sustainability reports for fiscal 2025. Biscuits major Britannia said between 2018-19 and 2024-25, it has increased the wholegrain content in its products by more than three-and-a-half times and reduced the sugar and sodium levels by 3.4% and 11.9%. Nestle India has cut sugar by 6%, salt by 10% and total fat by 2.5% across categories. The company, which faced backlash over the sugar content in Cerelac, last year launched new variants of the baby food with no refined sugar. 'While taste has historically trumped health, consumers now want both nourishment and delight,' said Shashwat Goenka, vice-chairman at the RPSanjiv Goenka Group, which owns food retail chains Nature's Basket and Spencer's Retail. 'This isn't just another trend but a movement across all food categories. From snacks to desserts, people want options that fit their wellness goals, but still satisfy cravings,' he said in a social media post last week. Tata Consumer Products said it has reduced added sugar in one of its ready-to-drink variants by 30%. It has reduced another by 20% since FY24 and plans to make further reductions. These steps have already helped it reduce the use of sugar by 2,900 tonnes in the last two years, the company FY25, health and wellness-focused new products made up 29% of its total offerings. Marico said it has reduced the amount of sodium by 20% in key products such as oats and millets under its Saffola brand. It is fortifying the entire range of edible oils portfolio with fat soluble vitamins, as is competitor AWL Agri Business. Marico is also using oats, soya, millets, nuts and seeds, and honey in products to address noncommunicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases and conditions influencing immunity. To be sure, large food companies are signatory to sector regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's 'Eat Right Movement' launched in 2018 to fight lifestyle diseases and improve public health. Also, overall awareness and criticisms on social media about unhealthy packaged food have accelerated this trend, industry executives said. ITC said while it is reducing salt, sugar and fat without compromising on sensory attributes (such as taste), it also wants to increase the level of nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre that are beneficial for health. ZERO-SPIRIT WHISKEY, LESS-UNHEALTHY SNACKS This trend is also finding favour in the alcohol beverage space. According to India's largest beer manufacturer, United Breweries, its latest launch, Amstel Grande, has no added sugar. The market for no-alcohol-low calorie whiskey and beers too is picking up in metros, driven by Gen Z. Rohit Pillai, director, product and growth at beer brand Bira91, said there is a strong potential in the low-calorie segment within the alcobev space which is still nascent. Zero-alcohol beverage maker Sober Zero Proof Spirits founder Aditya Aggarwal said the largest sales contributor is zero-spirit whiskey. Meanwhile, snacks manufacturer Bikaji Foods chief operating officer Manoj Verma candidly told analysts last week that there's nothing called healthy food. 'You may say healthy snacks. You may say less unhealthy. That's a better way to put that up,' he said. Verma said while companies including his are taking steps to be future ready, this market is still very niche.
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
On a health kick, FMCG companies chase sugar-free rush
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Bengaluru | Kolkata: When over half of colas sold in India have gone low or completely sugar-free (as per PepsiCo's lead bottler Varun Beverages), can packaged food be left behind?While low-sugar or sugar-free food products may not be dominating sales yet, companies such as Britannia Industries Tata Consumer Products and Marico have driven a marked reduction in the level of sugar, sodium and fat in their products. There is also an increase in wholegrains and millets, vitamins and micronutrients in the products of these companies, including ITC and AWL Agri Business , as per disclosures in their annual, business and sustainability reports for fiscal major Britannia said between 2018-19 and 2024-25, it has increased the wholegrain content in its products by more than three-and-a-half times and reduced the sugar and sodium levels by 3.4% and 11.9%. Nestle India has cut sugar by 6%, salt by 10% and total fat by 2.5% across company, which faced backlash over the sugar content in Cerelac, last year launched new variants of the baby food with no refined sugar. 'While taste has historically trumped health, consumers now want both nourishment and delight,' said Shashwat Goenka, vice-chairman at the RPSanjiv Goenka Group, which owns food retail chains Nature's Basket and Spencer's Retail. 'This isn't just another trend but a movement across all food categories. From snacks to desserts, people want options that fit their wellness goals, but still satisfy cravings,' he said in a social media post last Consumer Products said it has reduced added sugar in one of its ready-to-drink variants by 30%.It has reduced another by 20% since FY24 and plans to make further reductions. These steps have already helped it reduce the use of sugar by 2,900 tonnes in the last two years, the company FY25, health and wellness-focused new products made up 29% of its total said it has reduced the amount of sodium by 20% in key products such as oats and millets under its Saffola brand. It is fortifying the entire range of edible oils portfolio with fat soluble vitamins, as is competitor AWL Agri Business. Marico is also using oats, soya, millets, nuts and seeds, and honey in products to address noncommunicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases and conditions influencing be sure, large food companies are signatory to sector regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's 'Eat Right Movement' launched in 2018 to fight lifestyle diseases and improve public health. Also, overall awareness and criticisms on social media about unhealthy packaged food have accelerated this trend, industry executives said while it is reducing salt, sugar and fat without compromising on sensory attributes (such as taste), it also wants to increase the level of nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre that are beneficial for trend is also finding favour in the alcohol beverage space. According to India's largest beer manufacturer, United Breweries , its latest launch, Amstel Grande, has no added sugar. The market for no-alcohol-low calorie whiskey and beers too is picking up in metros, driven by Gen Pillai, director, product and growth at beer brand Bira91, said there is a strong potential in the low-calorie segment within the alcobev space which is still beverage maker Sober Zero Proof Spirits founder Aditya Aggarwal said the largest sales contributor is zero-spirit snacks manufacturer Bikaji Foods chief operating officer Manoj Verma candidly told analysts last week that there's nothing called healthy food. 'You may say healthy snacks. You may say less unhealthy. That's a better way to put that up,' he said. Verma said while companies including his are taking steps to be future ready, this market is still very niche.
Fashion Network
22-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Spencer's Retail Q4 loss narrows to Rs 68 crore
Spencer's Retail Ltd reported narrowing of its consolidated net loss to Rs 68 crore ($8 million) for the March quarter of financial year 2025, as against loss of Rs 81 crore in the year-ago quarter. The company's revenue for the quarter was down to Rs 412 crore, as against Rs 547 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year. For the financial year 2025, Spencer's Retail narrowed its net loss to Rs 246 crore from Rs 266 crore a year ago while its total income was down Rs 2,098 crore as against Rs 2,370 crore earlier. The company attributed the drop in topline to closure of 47 stores in the second quarter of FY25. Commenting on the results, Shashwat Goenka, chairman of Spencer's Retail in a statement said, 'Spencer's delivered a strong operational performance for FY25 on the back of the strategic decisions and actions taken in H1 to focus on key geographies and optimize the costs in line with the resulting scale. The results of these actions flowed through in H2 with all key operational metrics improving and yielding a significant improvement in EBITDA for FY 25.' 'This puts the company in a good shape to drive growth across Natures Basket & Spencer's, both in the offline and online verticals,' he added. Spencer's Retail is a multi-format retailer offering products across categories such as FMCG, fashion, general merchandise, personal care, home essentials among others.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Spencer's Retail Q4 loss narrows to Rs 68 cr
Spencer's Retail Ltd on Thursday reported narrowing of its consolidated net loss to Rs 68.40 crore for March quarter FY25. The company had incurred a loss of Rs 80.69 crore in the January-March period a year ago, according to a regulatory filing from Spencer's Retail, a RP Sanjiv Goenka firm. However, revenue from operations was down to Rs 411.87 crore in March quarter from Rs 546.79 crore a year ago. Total expenses were lower by 22.2 per cent to Rs 491.60 crore in the quarter. Total income, which includes other income, fell 23.22 per cent to Rs 423.13 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Indonesia (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now In FY25, Spencer's Retail narrowed its net loss to Rs 246.36 crore from Rs 266.15 crore a year ago. Total income was at Rs 2,098.72 crore as against Rs 2,370.62 crore earlier. There was a drop in topline due to closure of 47 stores of Spencer's in Q2, the company said in its investor presentation. "Spencer's delivered a strong operational performance for FY25 on the back of the strategic decisions and actions taken in H1 to focus on key geographies and optimize the costs in line with the resulting scale. Live Events "The results of these actions flowed through in H2 with all key operational metrics improving and yielding a significant (4X) improvement in EBITDA for FY 25," Chairman Shashwat Goenka said. This puts the company in a good shape to drive growth across Natures Basket & Spencer's, both in the offline and online verticals, he added. Spencer's, which started its quick delivery proposition JIFFY in Kolkata in January has witnessed good traction with strong growth in both orders and user base. "We are taking this to a few other cities in UP and West Bengal in the current fiscal," he said. The total store count along with Natures Basket is 89 across India. Shares of Spencer's Retail on Thursday settled at Rs 65.51 apiece on BSE, down 0.02 per cent from the previous close.
Economic Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Spencer's Retail Q4 loss narrows to Rs 68 cr
Spencer's Retail Ltd on Thursday reported narrowing of its consolidated net loss to Rs 68.40 crore for March quarter FY25. The company had incurred a loss of Rs 80.69 crore in the January-March period a year ago, according to a regulatory filing from Spencer's Retail, a RP Sanjiv Goenka firm. ADVERTISEMENT However, revenue from operations was down to Rs 411.87 crore in March quarter from Rs 546.79 crore a year ago. Total expenses were lower by 22.2 per cent to Rs 491.60 crore in the quarter. Total income, which includes other income, fell 23.22 per cent to Rs 423.13 crore. In FY25, Spencer's Retail narrowed its net loss to Rs 246.36 crore from Rs 266.15 crore a year ago. Total income was at Rs 2,098.72 crore as against Rs 2,370.62 crore earlier. There was a drop in topline due to closure of 47 stores of Spencer's in Q2, the company said in its investor presentation. "Spencer's delivered a strong operational performance for FY25 on the back of the strategic decisions and actions taken in H1 to focus on key geographies and optimize the costs in line with the resulting scale. "The results of these actions flowed through in H2 with all key operational metrics improving and yielding a significant (4X) improvement in EBITDA for FY 25," Chairman Shashwat Goenka said. ADVERTISEMENT This puts the company in a good shape to drive growth across Natures Basket & Spencer's, both in the offline and online verticals, he added. Spencer's, which started its quick delivery proposition JIFFY in Kolkata in January has witnessed good traction with strong growth in both orders and user base. ADVERTISEMENT "We are taking this to a few other cities in UP and West Bengal in the current fiscal," he said. The total store count along with Natures Basket is 89 across India. Shares of Spencer's Retail on Thursday settled at Rs 65.51 apiece on BSE, down 0.02 per cent from the previous close. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
