Since its launch in 2013, Tata Soulfull has been on a mission to make healthy eating tasty and more accessible. The brand offers a range of millet-based products, catering to both kids and adults. Over the last decade, the brand’s biggest playground has been the breakfast cereal category offering a variety of products, including muesli, oats and kid-friendly cereals. However, they had always stayed away from one staple: cornflakes. Why? According to Prashant, the category’s growth had plateaued. But with a new wave of health consciousness spreading to Tier 2 cities and beyond, the brand saw an opportunity to do things differently.
The Millet Moment
“Millets have always been a part of the Indian traditional palate,” Rasika Prashant, CMO of Tata Soulfull, tells us. While the term ‘millets’ might be newly popularised in the country, we’ve always known about the benefits of millets like jowar, bajra and ragi. “We call millets a smart food, not a superfood,” explains Prashant. Superfoods are a term used for foods that are good for you. But the term ‘smart food’ is used to describe foods that are good for you, the environment and farmers.
For the knowledge of the environmental conscious, millets require about six times less water than rice and they mature in about two to four months, while rice takes four to six months and wheat seven to eight months. Millets are also more resistant to unpredictable climatic conditions and thrive in low rainfall environments. The depletion of groundwater in the country is a major concern, and it becomes imperative for farmers to grow crops that are all-weather and less water dependent.
As for their health benefits, they are naturally gluten-free with a low glycemic index. They are also rich in B vitamins, protein, antioxidants and nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and calcium. “The last revolution in food was about hunger satisfaction, but today it’s about nutrition satisfaction. Millets, with their high protein and fiber content, fit right into this new wave.”
A Slice Of Breakfast Innovation
Tata Soulfull’s approach is reintroducing millets in formats that today’s consumer enjoys. This means muesli, oats, cornflakes and chocolate bites, wafers and sticks. Prashant tells us that within the breakfast cereal category, museli has been the new trending piece with a 20 percent CAGR. Overall, the kids portfolio, too, is a Rs 3,000 crore category. However, what initially got people into breakfast cereals was cornflakes. “As the category evolved and matured, other forms of breakfast cereals came in and cornflakes started to see a decline.”
But now, as those consumption patterns move to Tier 2 towns, people are now seeing higher levels of disposable income. They are also adopting new trends seeking out healthier and more convenient forms of consumption. Cornflakes caters to that consumer who is wanting to try breakfast cereals, wants to get into the category but is looking at a more comfortable, understood and affordable price point.
Corny With A Twist
The idea behind adding a millet blend to the traditional claw corn is that it helps the flakes stay crunchy for longer. “Cornflakes in the country are usually had in hot milk, but they tend to get soggy.” This is a pain point for most consumers and using their core strength, millets, Soulfull has been able to solve the problem. As for the final bit of making it into the household of India’s value seeking consumer, it is offering parity for price point and benefits with respect to the competition.
Sampling, Educating & Influencing
Reaching the consumer base has been all about blending tradition with modern tactics. Tata Soulfull actively engages in sampling, a tried-and-true method for generating trials. “We believe if people taste the product, they will love it. We do a lot of wet and dry sampling.” Moreover, the brand has collaborated with Reliance’s Maha Millet Mela initiative, setting up informative stalls across 750-800 stores to educate consumers about the benefits of millets.
Social media plays a big role too. “At breakfast events that happen across platforms, we see a fantastic response where people see the crunch coming through in hot milk.” The brand leverages influencers, key opinion leaders and nutritionists to keep the conversation going on the benefits of millets, further helping them establish a strong identity in the ‘better-for-you’ food segment.
With a focus on expanding beyond metro cities, Tata Soulfull has ensured its products are widely available across India. Being part of the Tata Consumer Products’ portfolio gives it a solid distribution network, reaching more than 5 lakh stores across the country. “We cover the entire landscape of modern trade, e-commerce and standalone stores, ensuring accessibility in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 towns,” notes Prashant.
Reaching Every Individual In The Household
Tata Soulfull's growth isn’t limited to breakfast. Understanding that kids often snack on breakfast cereals, the brand launched smaller, affordable snack packets. From 10-rupee packs for kids to their latest offering, no maida rusk, the company continues to innovate. “It’s all about giving more options, but without compromising on taste, price or accessibility,” says Rasika.
Within the kids category, they started off by doing breakfast cereals and noticed that kids ate breakfast cereals as snacks at school or on their school bus journey. They wanted to bring more options to them and that’s when they ventured into the chocolate sticks and wafers categories. “The new additions came at a smaller ticket size with Rs 5 packets. And the fact that we have less sugar and no maida in our products lets the mom feel guilt-free.”
Growing A Healthier India, One Bite At A Time
With their comprehensive approach to product innovation, strategic distribution and consumer education, Tata Soulfull is raising the bar in the better-for-you food sector. The brand's success stems from its ability to blend traditional ingredients with modern-day demands, all the while staying true to its core mission of promoting healthy eating.
“Today’s consumer is more aware. They read labels, understand ingredient balance and want to give their families the best. It’s our responsibility to make sure they don’t have to compromise.” Their continued innovation and expansion makes it clear that they’re not just catering to a niche market, but are well on their way to becoming a household name across the country.
