Scotland’s first ever food and drink delegation is in India this week to explore opportunities which could increase trade between the two nations and grow exports of the country’s finest produce. Led by Scottish Development International, the delegation – senior executives from Scotland’s trade bodies and artisan food manufacturers – will be introducing their products to sector leaders in both Mumbai and New Delhi. It follows a visit to Scotland by Indian buyers and retailers in September.
The visit comes shortly after news that Scottish company Highland Spring, the UK’s number one bottled water brand, is entering the Indian market in a joint venture with Delhi-based Jembex Enterprises. Over 8 million litres of Highland Spring water is exported globally every year and the company’s sparkling spring water will be the first product to launch in India.
Crawford Gillies, Chairman Scottish Enterprise who’s leading the delegation, said that Scotland’s food and drink exports to India had “increased by almost 90 per cent between 2007 and 2012 and are now worth more than £62 million. Changing tastes and rising incomes in India means there is an increased demand for gourmet products while the emergence of a more modern retail sector across India is creating new outlets for international companies to reach discerning consumers.
James Withers
Scotland Food & Drink
“This week’s visit is about introducing senior figures from the Scottish food and drink industry to explore these opportunities in more detail and identify potential partnerships with their Indian counterparts.”
James Withers, Chief Executive, Scotland Food & Drink, described the trip as a “learning journey”. He said it was “an excellent opportunity to demonstrate why Scotland has garnered a reputation as the land of food and drink by introducing the country’s finest produce to some of India’s biggest retailers and hospitality brands. Our aim is to grow the food and drink industry in Scotland to £16.5 billion by 2017 and increasing sales in key international markets such as India, which as a nation is so passionate about food, is pivotal to achieving this goal.”
The food and drink industry is worth over £13 billion a year to the Scottish economy and currently accounts for 20 per cent of all exports. The industry announced an ambitious export target of £7.1bn by 2017 last year.