Exclusive | Betting big on multigrain breakfast mixes: MTR's Vikran Sabherwal

MTR Foods, a market leader (around 32 per cent) in breakfast mixes segment and a trusted name with 85 years of heritage in authentic Indian vegetarian cuisine has recently launched ragi based breakfast mix products, aimed at consolidating its presence in the new emerging breakfast category. The company has a strong customer loyalty in the breakfast mix category and its ready-to-eat idli, dosa and upma are a  delight with the customers.

The introduction of MTR Multigrain Breakfast Mixes, a delicious new range of breakfast mixes, blends the goodness of grains like oats, ragi, jowar, etc in India’s most loved foods, idli and dosa. The new range consists of four new products; multigrain dosa, oats idli, rava ragi idli and ragi dosa.

Speaking to Adgully, Vikran Sabherwal, Vice-President, Marketing, MTR Foods stated, “keeping our focus on the busy woman, we are constantly innovating in this category by launching new products and adding to our existing range. We already have 7 products in the breakfast mixes category and with the launch of 4 new ragi based products, the product portfolio now stands expanded to 11.”

Research shows that today’s woman leads a busy lifestyle yet spends maximum time and effort in cooking. She wants to surprise her family with variety of dishes and is looking for cooking solutions that reduce her time in the kitchen but that allow her control over the taste of the final dish. She seeks help in the kitchen but does not want to be replaced and this is a key driver for the breakfast mixes category since it helps the woman make interesting dishes in a short time and yet be able to customize it.

This launch a first of its kind is based on an important consumer insight. Says Sabherwal, “housewives told us that they are always looking to improve the nutrition of their family’s breakfast and while there are many western healthy breakfast options available, there is nothing in foods familiar to her. While there are attempts to try and add new grains like oats to traditional foods she is never really sure of how to do it. With this launch MTR provides the perfect bridge between the traditional and the new age foods.” Further the MTR research showed that ragi based breakfast which is more a south India preferred breakfast was equally liked in north India too which, “gave us the confidence to launching national,” adds Sabherwal.

The main market for breakfast mixes are the top 22-25 cities in India with the western region & Mumbai as well as the northern region being the bulk contributor to sales. Says Sabherwal, “this category is still in nascent stage but expanding rapidly. Of the industry size of around Rs 600-700 crores comprising breakfasts of all kinds, the breakfast mix range is about Rs 120 to 200 crores. We are looking at these new launches to contribute 50 per cent of our sales in two years. We feel that this is a big trend coming in India.” The four products will be available at Rs 40 for the 200g and Rs 80 for the 500g convenient to use packs.

MTR Foods has drawn up an aggressive marketing promotion strategy. Add Sabherwal, “we have already launched the TVC, 70 per cent of which is targeted in GEC channels and 30 per cent in niche channels. Besides we have taken ad space in lifestyle & health magazines and in addition are looking to promote the products on digital /social media. At the ground level we are talking more and more to housewives at the retail stores and in large retail malls like Big Bazar, Reliance Retail etc.” Creatives are being handled by O&M, Bangalore and the media agency is Maxis, Bangalore