A strong Tayside and Fife delegation has joined a high level trade mission to India in the hope of increasing exports to the country.
The value of Scottish goods sold to the Subcontinent has increased exponentially to £62 million in recent years but the Scottish Development International delegation is designed to target the huge market which remains untapped.
Errol-based crisp manufacturer Mackie’s at Taypack and Highland Perthshire’s The Scottish Deli both made the trip in order to increase their visibility in the Indian market.
They have been joined by Scott Landsburgh of Perth’s Scottish Salmon Producers Association and Alan Clarke of the Scottish Bakers Association, which has its headquarters in Dunfermline.
Ronnie Wilson, commercial director at Mackie’s at Taypack, said the scale of the opportunity in India was enormous and he said his company was looking to engage with trade partners in the region.
“The mission follows a visit to our site by a group of Indian buyers earlier this year, which was again arranged in collaboration with SDI,” Mr Wilson said.
“It was during this visit that we recognised a great opportunity for our business in India.
“Food and drink retail is one of the fastest growing sectors in India and premium grocery is performing particularly well.”
He added: “With Mackie’s Crisps now being exported to over 20 countries around the world, including several other Asian countries, we have gained a great deal of experience in meeting the requirements of different markets.
“SDI have been supporting us every step of the way and we are delighted to have this opportunity to explore another new market with them.
“Our aim now is to find and select the best partner to grow our business with in India.”
The food and drink industry, which is worth over £13 billion a year to the Scottish economy and accounts for 20% of all exports, recently set an ambitious new export target of £7.1bn of overseas sales per annum by 2017.
Scotland Food & Drink chief executive James Withers said engaging with businesses face-to-face was a vital part of the export process.
“The learning journey to India is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate why Scotland has garnered a reputation as the land of food and drink by introducing the country’s finest produce to some of India’s biggest retailers and hospitality brands,” Mr Withers said.
“Our aim is to grow the food and drink industry in Scotland to £16.5 billion by 2017 and increasing sales in key international markets such as India, which as a nation is so passionate about food, is pivotal to achieving this goal.”
The mission comes after Highland Spring announced its entry into the Indian market through a joint venture with Delhi-based Jembex Enterprises.
Scottish Enterprise chairman Crawford Gillies said: “Scottish food and drink exports to India have increased by almost 90% between 2007 and 2012 and are now worth more than £62m.
“Changing tastes and rising incomes in India means there is an increased demand for gourmet products while the emergence of a more modern retail sector across India is creating new outlets for international companies to reach discerning consumers.
“This week’s visit is about introducing senior figures from the Scottish food and drink industry to explore these opportunities in more detail and identify potential partnerships with their Indian counterparts.”