Q] Tell us about the insight behind the #GiftOfTime campaign. The concept actually jumped out of an insight that I came across as part of our consumer immersion programme last year. We were at this consumer’s house in Kolkata where we had a list of questions to ask and then we would watch them cook and share a meal with them. So during the process I asked the lady of the house what she was most passionate about and what her hobbies were. She just looked at me in silence for a few seconds, as if shocked. And that’s when it really hit me. All she really spoke about was what her children and husband like, and what she has to do for her in-laws. She could talk endlessly about them but couldn’t speak much about herself. It was really an emotional moment for her and it hit me too. The insight of ‘gifting time’ and encouraging women to follow their passion jumped out of this interaction. I knew right away that was the story I want to tell. I was personally involved in the execution of the campaign, which we completed within two weeks.
Q] Your new tagline has recently been changed to ‘Taste The Love’. How has the new tagline worked out for Mother’s Recipe?
Yes, our previous tagline was ‘Discover The Tradition’, and I felt we really needed to speak to the millennials and invest in them. We decided to go with ‘Taste The Love’, which is basically taking the directive of mother’s love ahead. And mother’s love is synonymous with our brand. We wanted to encapsulate this love between two friends, husband and wife, brother and sister or a mother and child. This new positioning has been accepted and understood quite well. We wanted it to be hard-hitting, crisp and have a ‘call to action’ and I believe it does have that.
Q] Mother’s Recipe is an old legacy brand, mostly synonymous with pickles. How difficult is it to speak to the millennial today?
It hasn’t been that difficult for us. Yes, Mother’s Recipe is mostly well known for the pickles, but we also have a lot of other categories. With the changing needs of the consumer, we have constantly been innovating with our products too. We have been innovative with our packaging as well, going from pouches to cups to spout, with products like ginger garlic paste. We are really getting ahead on the instant mix curve with our innovations.
Q] In this particular industry, there is very little scope for differentiation as everybody is either talking about taste or authenticity. How do you ensure your brand stands out in this crowded category?
I believe we are not selling Indian food to Indians, we are selling the memory and the love. I want to sell the accompaniment, the supporter of maa ke hath ka khaana. I don’t want to sell mother’s food because we know that we are not going to be replacing the mother in the kitchen for sure. But, it’s as close as it can get, and that’s really our brand core.
Q] People in India are getting health conscious and are looking for natural products. What is Mother’s Recipe doing to meet these changing consumer needs?
It’s a big trend right now, and it’s definitely here to stay. None of our products have preservatives. People believe that just because it is packaged food, it must be having preservatives and it’s not good for you. So, we have to bust that myth. We don’t use MSG, preservatives or chemical additions; we use only natural products. We are in fact working on a line of products for the health and wellness space. With the variety of cuisines consumed right now, we are looking at how Mother’s Recipe can be part of this change and it is definitely a big opportunity for the sector.
