Nouvdiet Satva and Getrim – The introduction of health food category in India before it was fashionable (2006)
Summary and key points:
Nouveau Dietetique, like many of our consulting clients, was owned by third-generation entrepreneurs who were product experts. They were food technologists who understood the science behind the product but were unfamiliar with how to “market” it. And while the overseas-educated promoters were aware of the growing health trend in other markets, they were unsure if India was ready for such products. And by this, we mean ready for the taste of such products, as well as the price.
Healthy food is another category I have had the good fortune to see at this nascent stage as well as 15 years later. And I could look at it from a qualitative as well as a quantitative perspective.
TGI data gave us the opportunity to identify segments that were more inclined to consume such products – for those of you who recall it, this was a time of low-GI rice, low-fat butter and ice cream, as well as oats upma. And we were able to identify behavioural traits of these early triers, as well as size the segment.
Twenty years ago, consumers actively felt bad about being on a diet for reasons of health or weight loss. They were embarrassed to tell other people, who typically ribbed them about it. They felt miserable about giving up favourite foods. It was not socially desirable to be seen
as being particular about dietary requirements, unlike today, where pursuing a healthy lifestyle is a very desirable choice.
“I don’t like being the only one out to dinner who is ordering soup and salad.”
“I don’t like creating additional work for the kitchen because I need foods without oil or sugar.”
Very different from now, where vegan and keto menus are differentiators in restaurants.
This was when we discovered that people are willing to replace food items that are less enjoyable but not those they love. “If I really feel like eating biryani, I want a proper biryani! Not a ‘healthy’ version that has had all the fun taken out of it. I would rather go without.” They needed assurance of taste, and indeed all sensorial aspects.
Consumers were given sample products to consume – chocolates, meal replacement powders, etc. We had them play back what they felt about the taste of the product itself and what they felt about consuming the product.
With all this in mind, we crafted the Brand ID – a proprietary tool to articulate brand positioning.
The founders had several alternate product ideas and formats that they could pursue. So we mapped a possible portfolio across the entire spectrum of what people had to forgo vs. what they could choose to forgo. We crafted the Brand Architecture for the portfolio, based on the distance of each product from the core positioning platform. Which ones could be brand extensions versus which needed to be part of another brand entirely.
Then, using all the diverse specialist units within the group at the time, we created the go-to-market plan, slicing and dicing to fit a start-up budget from a family business.
We ran the pitch and found a creative agency that did complete justice to the brief and developed brand identity, packaging, and communication that would make your mouth water.
And the brand was in business.