Importance of Hygiene and Transparency In The Modern-Day Food Industry

Gone are the days when loyalty to food brands was based on name recognition or marketing dominance. Today’s consumers want to learn more about the food they eat. With an increase in access to technology, people are armed with complete knowledge of the food product and ingredients used in them. This is the new landscape of loyalty, where brands that can meet consumer expectations for product information, delivered instantly via digital channels, will create a new dynamic of trust, convenience and long term value.

Customer Expectation

Nowadays, Consumers do not trust the way brands are currently providing product information. They expect brands to provide complete and accurate product information, in order to make informed purchase decisions. According to a report, 67 per cent of consumers believes it is the brand or manufacturer’s responsibility to provide them with complete product information. It is important to them that the brands and manufacturers they buy from are transparent about what is in their food and how it is made.

Mithun Appaiah, CEO Innovative Foods Ltd, Sumeru Frozen Foods, said, “Consumer’s today demand to know more about the food they eat. Globally, food safety issues are costing the food and beverage industry billion each year. More and more customers will look beyond the product itself as a standalone purchase and take into account values such as hygiene and transparency.”

“Therefore, how companies demonstrate their commitment to their missions and visions will become increasingly important in the future. At both Sumeru’s facilities in Kochi and Chittoor, we maintain the highest standards transparency and hygiene.  Our products are made from produce sourced at their peak nutritional value and then processed and packed using state of the art freezing technology,” added, Mithun.

Growing Controversies Around Hygiene

Earlier, Maggi had been in trouble and also faced ban due to traces of lead found in their product. This lead to a huge outrage among costumers regarding health issues. Cafe coffee day also faced flak from people when a customer posted a video of a cockroach found in his order.

With the increase in hygiene and health issues around the food industry, people are now demanding to have complete information about the products they eat.

Transparency Influencing Purchase

Nowadays, product transparency is influencing the customer’s purchase decision. According to a report, 71 per cent of consumers consider whether they have access to the full list of ingredient information for a product when making food purchase decisions. Brands have an opportunity to gain market share by providing increased transparency