It is common knowledge that the lockdown has severely affected most industries in India. The pandemic struck with so much vigour and with so much surprise that industries were left shell-shocked and paralysed. But there are some exceptions to this trend. The biscuit industry in India seems to be one.
There are confirmed reports that not just the top-end branded biscuit producers but also the local brands have been able to register unexpected growth during the pandemic. Biscuits became a favourite item for buyers deciding to stock edible items since the beginning of the lockdown. Biscuits traditionally attract mass consumption. It is also undeniable that since the 1990s leading biscuit companies in India have come up with an astonishing variety. The components vary from wheat and flour to coconut and oats. Now biscuits in India come in very attractive packaging. No less important, there are packs costing as less as two rupees and five rupees. In yesteryears Britannia was the leading market brand enjoying near-monopoly. Gradually several companies gave Britannia a good competition and began occupying their own space in the biscuit market. Parle Products, ITC, Bisk Farm are some of the leading companies enticing Indians to have their biscuits and eat them too. The healthy competition is leading to more and more ‘innovations’ in the biscuit industry.
It is not only the brisk buying of biscuits for home consumption that leads to such jump in sales. The social sector also contributes to it in its own way. The NGOs, voluntary organizations and state agencies engaged in relief purchase biscuits in huge quantity to provide them to the distressed people facing the brunt of the lockdown in severest ways. The lighter weight, good taste and long shelf life make biscuits an attractive item for relief.
The plight of the migrant workers gave a boost to the biscuit industry. India enforced Lockdown 1.0 on 25 March, 2020. Its sudden announcement put migrant workers in great distress. Amidst the lockdown, they desperately wanted to reach home. For them, like everyone else, it was the safest option. They started their journey from the host states to home states across the country with a very small savings in hand. Many are forced to resort to long walk. Food became a major problem. They needed food to boost energy and sustain the struggle. Biscuits came in handy for them. Easy availability of biscuits in every part of the country facilitated the process. Incidentally, India also has a wide range in local biscuits and it is evident for anyone familiar with the roadside makeshift tea stalls.
According to reports in The Indian Express and The Times of India Parle G has been the biggest beneficiary of the lockdown-led sales in biscuits. March, April and May have registered an unprecedented growth in sales in eight decades though the officials have not disclosed the exact amount in public. The company reported that the manufacturing units are functioning with fifty per cent of workforce keeping in mind the government rules and regulations to curb escalation of the coronavirus outbreak, but the production is happening in full force to serve the community with sufficient supply in the market. Britannia, which has fifteen manufacturing units in India, is ready to take up the challenge with 65 percent of its capacity. ITC also promises to do the same to sustain smooth functioning of the supply chain.
It seems biscuits are dear to all. For the upper class and middle class biscuits are linked to both style and wellness. For people down below, especially in crisis situations, biscuits are means of survival. With such utility value cutting across social strata biscuits shine amidst pandemic times.
Eduindex News 