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American Products Reach India
A SUSTA Chef Training Program
India is a market ripe for American food and agricultural exports. The country has a growing middle-class population that is aware and interested in American products. This year, SUSTA began an effort to expand the export market for American food products in India.
In July, SUSTA taught a group of renowned Indian chefs from restaurants, hotel chains and an important culinary school about southern U.S. culinary traditions. The four participant chefs, all top decision makers, were impressed with southern U.S. products, dishes, culinary techniques, and culture. Almost immediately into the two-week program, the chefs expressed enthusiasm about buying and using southern U.S. products back in India.
The culinary program was a tremendous success. The chefs learned about preparing southern U.S. products in traditional dishes and returned to India with knowledge of U.S. management techniques, sanitary standards and food preparation standards. During the two-week culinary course sponsored by SUSTA and the Cochran program, the Indian chefs prepared southern dishes with their American counterparts using products from a number of SUSTA's MAP Branded companies. Such products included cookies from Aliza's Cookies, marinades from Allegro Fine Foods, gourmet biscuits from DeBeukelaer Corporation, Tabasco sauce from McIlhenny Company, crab cakes from Sea Watch International, and alligator meat from Circle M Ranch. (Visit SUSTA's online U.S. suppliers Company Directory at www.susta.org/companies/index.cfm for more information about these and other southern U.S. companies.)
Since their visit in July, the chefs have introduced a variety of southern U.S. dishes and products into their restaurant menus back in India. They predict that southern dishes, especially grits, holiday stuffing, soups and deep-fried turkey, will be a hit in India. These dishes, tailored to Indian tastes and the chefs' personal styles, are now regular features in the Bangalore Windsor Sheraton system, and at the Le Meridian and Oberoi Hotels in New Delhi. By sponsoring the culinary training program, SUSTA developed positive relationships with the chefs and fostered their desire to conduct follow-up promotions in India.
In fact, the chefs are not waiting for SUSTA to propose an activity. Three Indian Hotel chains will fund a Cajun food promotion in 2003 featuring Chef Randy Cheramie, who instructed the Indian chefs on preparing dishes from the southern U.S.
After educating India's best culinary connoisseurs about U.S. products available for export, SUSTA aimed efforts at educating U.S. companies about market opportunities in India. SUSTA invited 15 Indian buyers to a reverse trade mission to meet one-on-one with U.S. companies in September. During the trade mission, SUSTA educated American guests on market opportunities and business customs in India. Chef Shailender Singh (one of SUSTA's culinary guests in July) of the Windsor Sheraton system in Bangalore and Chef George Kaslow of the John Folse Culinary Institute also spoke during the workshop on September 19, 2002 in Orlando. After the workshop, Chef Singh joined the reverse trade mission buyers from India and met with participating U.S. companies. Overall, the trade meetings have resulted in initial short-term sales of $310,000.
In an effort to solidify on-going trade between Indian and U.S. companies, SUSTA will host follow-up activities in India.
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