India Rice and Pulses Market Report 2024
Rice and pulses, both kitchen essentials in Indian households, are primarily purchased in the loose format.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Mintel’s perspective
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- Packaged rice has room for growth, with a third of current rice buyers as potential customers
- Taste is king for basmati buyers, valuing quality over price reductions
- Graph 1: factors prioritised when choosing loose/packaged basmati rice, 2024
- Devise a divide-and-conquer strategy to recruit, upgrade, nudge and retain buyers
- Devise a divide-and-conquer strategy to recruit, upgrade, nudge and retain consumers
- Focus on the ‘free-from’ benefits of organic
- The outlook for the packaged rice & pulses category
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KEY TRENDS AND MARKET FACTORS
- What you need to know
- The savvy shopper: informed buying is emerging
- Reports of adulterated groceries spark concern and outrage
- Concern for health and safety drives conscious consumerism
- Regulators and brands partner to empower consumers
- Initiatives to promote local, fresh and safe food are emerging globally
- Spotlight on sustainability: the future of farming is green
- Government push propels sustainable agriculture into the spotlight
- Young Indian farmers innovate with back-to-basics approach
- India is ahead of the global market in making organic, natural and GMO-free claims
- Graph 2: rice launches with select claims, 2023-24
- Indian brands are empowering consumers to secure safety and long-term health
- Indian shoppers prioritise natural over organic; fruits, veggies and staples are preferred categories for making organic purchases
- Graph 3: organic food & drink products purchased in the last three months, 2024
- Graph 4: types of food & drink products bought in the last three months, 2024
- There is a need to demystify the benefits of organic for informed decisions
- Consumers seek value for money
- Can’t skip groceries, can cut costs
- Graph 5: frequency at which consumers stick to a set budget for groceries*, 2024
- Graph 6: categories on which consumers spend on a monthly basis, 2024
- Consumers are on the lookout for the best deals
- Graph 7: agreement that it is worth taking the time to compare products to find the best deal, 2024*
- Graph 8: changes in food & drink purchase or consumption in the past year, 2024
- Small pack size and functionality draw the attention of value-conscious consumers
- Graph 9: consumer attitudes towards spending, 2023
- Graph 10: attributes that would encourage purchase beyond just price, 2023
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- What you need to know
- Regular and basmati rice: loose vs packaged/branded
- Only a third of rice buyers go for branded/packaged, primarily driven by basmati rice
- Graph 11: current purchase of regular and basmati rice in loose and packaged format, 2024
- Branded/packaged regular rice finds core buyers among SEC A and consumers in metro and Tier 1 cities
- Graph 12: current purchase of regular rice in packaged/branded format, by region, city tier and socioeconomic groups, 2024
- Who are packaged basmati buyers?
- Graph 13: current purchase of basmati rice in packaged/branded format, by region, gender and employment, 2024
- General trade continues to dominate the rice segment; supermarkets are gaining ground across India’s South and West regions
- Graph 14: purchase channels for rice, by region, 2024
- Consumer preference for pack size is divided, and varies with region and socio-economic status
- Graph 15: agreement with select statements about rice, by socioeconomic group, 2024
- Graph 16: agreement with select statements about rice, by region, 2024
- Expanding usage of packaged/branded rice
- The challenge and opportunity for brands lies in retaining existing buyers and then recruiting new ones
- Graph 17: current and future purchase behaviour of regular and basmati rice in the next 12 months, 2024
- Divide and conquer the Indian rice market
- Prioritise those considering a switch from unbranded to branded options
- Graph 18: consumers who currently buy loose format but intend to switch to packaged/branded format in the next 12 months, by socioeconomic group, 2024
- Graph 19: consumers who currently buy loose format but intend to switch to packaged/branded format in the next 12 months, by region, 2024
- Nudge unbranded buyers to consider the benefits of packaged options
- Graph 20: consumers who currently buy loose format and do not intend to switch to packaged/branded format in the next 12 months, by region, 2024
- Graph 21: consumers who currently buy loose format and do not intend to switch to packaged/branded format in the next 12 months, by employment and gender, 2024
- Urge homemakers to discover the quality difference between loose and packaged rice
- Go local with regional rice varieties
- Upgrade: strengthen the loyalty seen in the South by offering compelling product benefits
- Graph 22: consumers who currently buy packaged/branded format and do not intend to switch to loose format in the next 12 months, 2024
- Upgrade with a promise of premium quality and safety
- Share the story of origin and cultivation for credibility
- Motivate consumers to upgrade from economy to premium versions
- Factors prioritised when choosing basmati rice
- Basmati is associated with a rich, authentic and flavourful experience
- Basmati rice buyers value taste, brand and quality more than offers/discounts
- Graph 23: factors prioritised when choosing loose/packaged basmati rice, 2024
- Describe the intensity of taste and aroma
- Think outside the biryani box: highlight basmati’s delicious role in regional recipes
- Create new occasions to celebrate the taste of basmati
- Global innovation: smoked rice
- Tilda adds a flavourful twist to basmati
- Leverage concern over the purity of loose basmati to recruit new branded buyers
- Graph 24: consumer concern about the purity of loose/unpackaged basmati rice, 2024
- Graph 25: consumer concern about the purity of loose/unpackaged basmati rice, by gender and city tier, 2024
- Basmati rice buyers get pickier about loose formats
- Graph 26: factors prioritised when choosing loose/packaged basmati rice, 2024
- Taste is key for all segments; offers/discounts can be leveraged to initiate trial of branded rice among non-buyers
- Brands hold significant sway with young, well-off and metro dwellers
- Graph 27: ‘brand’ as a factor prioritised when choosing loose/packaged basmati rice, 2024
- Brand loyalty is seen among a quarter of packaged rice buyers; Tier 3 city buyers are more likely to switch for price and quality
- Graph 28: agreement with select statements about switching brands of packaged rice, 2024
- Graph 29: consumers who prefer to stick to the same brand of packaged/branded rice, by region and socioeconomic group, 2024
- Grain appearance has greater importance among consumers in lower-tier cities
- Graph 30: select factors prioritised when choosing loose or packaged/branded basmati rice, by city tier, 2024
- Vividly describe grain length
- Highlight the appearance of authentic basmati
- Don’t just say ‘aged’, explain how it’s better
- Graph 31: agreement that aged/old basmati rice has superior quality than non-aged/new, 2024
- Consumers in the North and West are more receptive to aged basmati
- Graph 32: ‘aged’ as a factor prioritised when choosing loose/packaged basmati rice, 2024
- Unveil the power of aged basmati
- Women are more attuned to quality factors related to the cooking of basmati
- Show, don’t tell: leverage recipe videos to convey superior fluffiness
- Partner with restaurants and spice brands for a flavourful win
- Global ideas for lightning-fast one pot meals
- Opportunity for fortified rice
- Fortified rice is niche; consumers lack clarity about its need and prevalence
- Graph 33: packaged rice launches featuring a ‘vitamin/mineral-fortified’ claim, 2019-24
- Graph 34: agreement with select statements about rice fortification, 2024
- Fortification has the potential to broaden packaged format’s appeal to non- users
- Graph 35: consumer willingness to pay more for packaged/branded rice with added nutrients, by regular rice users, 2024
- Global launches of fortified rice products
- Graph 36: packaged rice launches featuring a ‘vitamin/mineral-fortified’ claim, 2022-24
- Rice’s nutritional upgrade begins
- Global inspiration: fortified products calling out specific benefits on pack
- Global innovation: fortification + convenience
- Interesting innovations in the rice category
- Blurring lines with functional foods: positioning rice as a superfood
- New low-GI launches pave the way for the better-for-you segment, but consumer education is key
- Global innovations: elevating nutrition with multigrain rice
- Brands are differentiating with a back-to-basics approach
- Rice gets a makeover! Indian brands innovate with giftable products celebrating the country’s culture
- New varieties perfect for Asian cuisines are hitting the shelves
- Pulses: loose vs packaged/branded
- The packaged pulses segment is niche, with potential to grow
- Graph 37: purchase of packaged/branded pulses, by region, city tier and socioeconomic group, 2024
- Graph 38: purchase of pulses in loose or packaged/branded format, 2024
- A third of current loose format buyers are eyeing the packaged segment
- Divide and conquer the Indian pulses market
- Prioritise buyers keen to make the unbranded-to-branded switch
- Graph 39: consumers who currently buy loose format but intend to switch to packaged/branded in the next 12 months, 2024
- Nudge unbranded/loose buyers towards branded format
- Graph 40: consumers who currently buy loose format and do not intend to switch to packaged/branded format in the next 12 months, 2024
- The hands-on approach of selecting pulses works in favour of the loose format
- Graph 41: consumers who prefer to touch and feel pulses at the time of purchase, 2024
- Graph 42: consumers who prefer to touch and feel pulses at the time of purchase, 2024
- Drive awareness about branded pulses’ perceived quality benefits
- Graph 43: consumer agreement that there is no difference in the quality of unpackaged/loose and packaged/branded pulses, 2024
- Communicate high quality and hygiene standards
- Paint a picture of a healthy and holistic product
- Expand reach by showcasing value in regional recipes
- Financially healthy and Southern consumers are more loyal to the branded format
- Graph 44: consumers who currently buy packaged/branded format and do not intend to switch to loose format format in the next 12 months, 2024
- Retain with discounts, upgrade with premium quality
- Graph 45: select factors prioritised when choosing loose/packaged pulses, 2024
- Graph 46: ‘premium grade’ as a factor prioritised when choosing loose/packaged pulses, 2024
- Two Brothers highlights the power of native pulses
- Bring in provenance to stress authenticity
- Lead with communication around health and nutrition
- Pulses remain a kirana store staple but purchase from supermarkets is emerging
- Graph 47: purchase channels used for buying loose and packaged/branded pulses, 2024
- Bigger families go bulk
- Graph 48: consumer preference for purchasing packaged/branded pulses in larger pack sizes, by household size, 2024
- Factors prioritised when choosing pulses
- Convenience, brand reputation and guaranteed safety outweigh temporary discounts
- Graph 49: factors prioritised when choosing loose/packaged pulses, 2024
- Brand matters to young Indians and metro dwellers; national brands can draw a premium from more than a third of consumers
- Graph 50: willingness to pay more for packaged/branded pulses offered by national brands, 2024
- Graph 51: brand as a factor prioritised when choosing loose/packaged pulses, 2024
- While brand is important, the majority does not commit to any particular one
- Graph 52: agreement with select statements about switching brands of packaged pulses, by city tier, 2024
- Consumers prioritise the ‘pesticide-free’ claim over the ‘organic’ claim
- Graph 53: select factors prioritised when choosing loose or packaged/branded pulses, 2024
- Natural, organic and pesticide-free claims are limited in the pulses segment
- Graph 54: launches of packaged pulses with select claims, 2023-24
- Highlight pesticide-free messaging on front of pack
- DeHaat: bringing honest food from the farm to the table
- Combine organic with pesticide-free
- Affordability and familiarity will be key in fostering wider acceptance of organic pulses
- Graph 55: agreement with select statements about organic food/drink products, by users of pulses, 2024
- Graph 56: select factors prioritised when choosing loose or packaged/branded pulses, 2024
- DeHaat talks about bringing genuinely safe and honest pulses within the reach of Indian families
- Time-saving is an attractive proposition for North- and West-region dwellers
- Graph 57: select factors prioritised when choosing loose or packaged/branded pulses, 2024
- Attract consumers with easy cooking cues on pack
- Quick commerce channels can impart speed to cooking as well
- Urban Granny: offering legumes that love busy lifestyles
- “Why wait for tomorrow when you can aaj pakao?”
- Global innovations putting pulses on the fast track
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APPENDIX
- Report definition
- Consumer survey methodology
Rice and pulses, both kitchen essentials in Indian households, are primarily purchased in the loose format. This report throws light on the potential for market expansion of the packaged/branded formats by identifying the target segments likely to make the shift from loose to branded.
Basmati rice is associated with rich flavours and premium dining experiences. The report investigates how consumers perceive authentic basmati and reveals the top purchase factors when choosing basmati products. Consumers’ thoughts on fortified rice are also discussed.
Consumers have a large variety of loose and branded options in dals/pulses. What do they prioritise when making a purchase? The report highlights the top purchase factors and reveals means to differentiate on the crowded shelf.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Current consumption of rice and pulses in the loose and packaged/branded format and channels of purchase
- Analysing consumer tendencies to adopt, maintain, or abandon loose and packaged formats
- Factors prioritised when choosing basmati rice
- Awareness and interest in fortified rice
- Factors prioritised when choosing pulses
- The need to revitalise the aged claim in rice and organic claim in pulses
- Convenience as a potential differentiator for packaged pulses
- Prevalence of brand loyalty among buyers of packaged rice and pulses
- Willingness to pay a premium for national brands offering packaged pulses
- Interesting innovations in rice and pulses
Target switchers for packaged rice & pulses. Taste & brand reign supreme in basmati while time-saving is an untapped opportunity in pulses.
Anamika Banerji, Research Analyst – Food and Drink, India
Market Definitions
Rice includes: Specialty rice (eg basmati), regular rice (eg broken basmati, kolum, sona masuri etc), unpolished brown/red rice, black rice, fortified rice in both packaged and loose formats
Pulses includes: pulses (daal) in packaged and loose/unpackaged format
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