The company, part of Lakeland Dairies, has signed a contract with a major Indian distributor with a network of depots serving foodservice organisations such as hotels, restaurants and in-flight caterers in the key Indian centres of Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.
Pritchitts, based at Newtownards in Northern Ireland and with its main sales office at Bromley in Kent, manufactures a range of powder and UHT liquid dairy and dairy alternative products, including UHT creams, tea and coffee mini-pot whiteners, non-dairy creams, ice cream and milkshake mixes, butter and butter portions.
Millac Maid brand mini-pots are preferred by airlines and other transport businesses in key international markets.
The breakthrough in the huge Indian marketplace was announced by John Day, head of exports at Pritchitts. “We’re very optimistic that this could provide us with a strong base in a market that’s continuing to forge ahead and is projected to achieve GDP growth this year in excess of 7%,” he said. “The food market is also worth £110bn and growing because tastes are changing rapidly in metro areas where there’s a middle class of around 350 million.
“The size of the market – currently the world’s biggest and fastest growing in terms of dairy products – requires a carefully shaped entry strategy. We’ve taken time to develop our strategy and to target customers in sectors in four- and five-star hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets and airline caterers. Finding the right distributor, therefore, was a key element of the strategy.
“Our research also indicated that we could compete successfully in terms of quality, value for money and service, as we’re already doing in Asian and Middle East markets.”
Founded in 1926 and now a £350m business with manufacturing sites in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Pritchitts has a blue chip customer base. The company currently exports to more than 70 markets worldwide and is twice winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in exports.
Source: Kavanagh Communications
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