The demand for organic and more nutritious food options is increasing in the Indian baby food sector, especially from the country’s growing middle class. Increasing awareness regarding the importance of nutrition in the child’s development and concerns over food safety have heightened the sensitivity towards product quality. Indian parents, with increasing disposable income, are willing to spend more on high-quality baby food products, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Mohammed Masiuddin Shajie, Lead Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Product claims such as ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ are gaining importance among Indian consumers. In a GlobalData consumer survey*, 79% of respondents in India stated that an ‘organic’ claim is essential or nice to have when making a purchase decision, while 82% of them stated the same for a ‘natural’ claim.”

Francis Gabriel Godad, Consumer Business Development Manager at GlobalData India, notes: “Consumer interest in organic and natural claims is also penetrating the baby food sector. Indian consumers are seeking baby food products with such claims as these are perceived to be of high quality. In the GlobalData survey, 48% of respondents stated that high-quality products/ingredients mean good value for money to them in baby-care and child-care products.”

Shajie adds: “Considering the growing inclination towards healthier food options, manufacturers are introducing baby food products with healthy and organic ingredients. An Indian start-up, Ormeal claims to offer 100% organic products. Happa Foods and Pristine Organics are among the other local manufacturers offering organic baby food products. Similarly, international manufacturers such as Danone, Campbell Soup Company, and Sprout Organics are also offering organic products in the Indian baby food market.”

Godad concludes: “As parents become more health-conscious and their knowledge around how different ingredients used in baby food affect their infants’ development grows, the importance of natural and nutrition-dense baby food will grow further. Product claims such as ‘made with real fruit’, ‘clean ingredients’, ‘no preservatives’, ‘non-GMO verified’, and ‘paediatrician recommended’, will gain prominence.”

* GlobalData 2024 Q2 Consumer Survey – India, with 897 respondents