MeisterWurst, an authentic German Sausage Manufacturer that offers premium pork/chicken products in India, is all set to launch multiple vegan products this year. Arthur Maurer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Meisterwurst spoke to nuFFooDS Spectrum about the company’s growth plans in India
Please share details of your products available in the Indian market?
Meisterwurst currently has over 100 products in the market. We offer a range of ready to cook products that includes cold cuts, sausages, bacon, meat loafs and tenderloins. We change SKUs on a regular basis, and we even have different tastes for each state. Meisterwurst is available in major cities across the country. What drives me is a desire to provide the best products to customers while scaling the brand as high as possible by expanding into new markets with our dark store partner and becoming a household name. The demand for high-quality food is growing, and we are meeting it by providing customized products and a distinctive specialty range. We are number 1 in the range of chicken and pork in terms of quality and reliability.
What are the unique German food offerings entering the Indian market and are they cost-effective? Is it targeted towards tier 1 cities only?
The demand for high-quality food is increasing, and we are meeting it by offering customised products and a unique specialty range. We are very cost effective. We are better than imported products, more flexible towards Indian taste and half the price. After more than 12 years in the market we know where to go and will not limit us to tier 1 cities. We adhere to our own standards and do not cut corners! We have sausages that no one else has. The competition even attempted to imitate our product names. For the authentic taste, ingredients are even imported from Europe. In India, we are producing a Mercedes in Food. We select reliable partners to expand.
Do you have distributors in India or have you opened manufacturing & research facilities in India?
Meisterwurst has had many distributors in India from the last 12 years. We have strong R&D European partners who are always working on introducing new production methods and the products which were not produced in India before. Both our market penetration and product selection are expanding. We regularly churn our product offerings and have a strong R&D staff to cater to the diverse tastes of our consumer base.
How much has been invested in India so far? What are the revenue projections for FY 22-23?
By 2023, we hope to have doubled our current revenue. Via online and offline orders, the brand has been expanding at a rate of 25% per year on an annual basis. Our market penetration and product selection are both growing. To cater to the various tastes of our consumer base, we regularly churn our product offerings and have a strong R&D staff.
Are you planning to hire new talent in India? If yes, under what expertise?
We are planning to hire new talent in India, most of our employees are with us for a decade. We educate them German style like no other company in this industry has tried.
We want to expand by hiring young talent who can guide us with new ideas and strategy. The team benefited greatly from the opportunities for advancement provided to them. We practice an open culture in which teams are free to use their skills to the best of their abilities; this is the hallmark of great culture in our organization.
What are the major plans in store for India in 2023, in terms of new investment, product launches, expansion etc.?
Meisterwurst is all set to test their fortunes in vegan food in India as a base, starting March. We believe there is no better place than India to capture the vegan market considering the huge vegetarian population and centuries old heritage in vegetarianism. We are all set to launch a dedicated brand – Veganya – to roll out wegan food. With meisterwurst, we are planning to expand it in both online and offline markets.
What are your views on the current regulations around vegan food products in India?
FSSAI is working on regulations and has already issued new standards. India has the most experience with vegetarian and vegan diets in the world. With most Indians are vegetarian, it is important to have vegetarian products as well.
Would your vegan food products pose competition to your non-vegetarian food offering in India?
India has demands in all kinds of food segments, but our main focus is on quality and affordable pricing.
What are your views on the use of automation within the food manufacturing industry in India? Can Germany collaborate with Indian food companies to enhance their operations?
Automation and modern food technologies are the key to producing quality and quantity. We are transferring the knowhow from Germany into India ever since we went into production. My team and I spent a lot of time and effort to achieve this and it is a continuing process.
Dr Manbeena Chawla
(manbeena.chawla@mmactiv.com)