March 2025 | 1747 words | 7-minute read
Tata Soulfull spearheads the millet renaissance
Tata Consumer Products' Tata Soulfull is revitalizing the consumption of millets in India by merging ancient grains with modern nutrition. Their innovative millet-based products are reintroducing this superfood, which has nourished communities for centuries, to contemporary consumers. Despite millets being sidelined post-Green Revolution, their demand has surged recently, supported by government promotions and global recognition, including the UN declaring 2023 the International Year of Millets. Tata Soulfull has seen significant growth, with a 42% revenue increase in FY24 from FY23. Their diverse product range targets both children and adults, ensuring millets are a staple across various diets and preferences. They continue to innovate, leveraging in-house technology to enhance the appeal of millets, while expanding their market presence nationally and exploring international opportunities.
Tata Soulfull spearheads the millet renaissance
Tata Consumer Products’ Tata Soulfull is spearheading a dietary revolution in India by reintroducing millets, ancient grains known for their nutritional benefits, to the modern consumer’s diet. These grains, which include ragi and jowar, were once staples but fell out of favor during the Green Revolution as high-yield crops like wheat and rice dominated. However, with the government and international bodies promoting millets as superfoods, there has been a resurgence in their popularity. The United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, highlighting their global significance.
Prashant Parameswaran, President of Tata Soulfull, emphasizes that millets are beneficial not only for health but also for the environment and farmers. They require less water and minimal fertilizers, enhance biodiversity, and can thrive in dry conditions, increasing yield potentials and preserving soil fertility. Tata Soulfull is capitalizing on this renewed interest by creating a range of innovative millet-based products, from breakfast options to snacks that cater to both children and adults. These products are designed to be tasty, nutritious, and convenient, aligning with modern lifestyle demands.
The company has seen substantial growth, with revenues increasing by 42% in FY24 from the previous year and achieving a fourfold increase since 2021. This success is attributed to their extensive distribution network and strategic marketing, which ensures availability across various platforms and regions, including rural areas where millets have always been a staple.
Looking ahead, Tata Soulfull plans to expand its product line and enter new markets, both domestically and internationally. With ongoing investments in innovation and manufacturing, the company is poised to strengthen its position in the packaged food market, aiming to make millets a staple in every household and leading the charge in the millet renaissance in India.
Tata Soulfull spearheads the millet renaissance
Tata Consumer Products’ Tata Soulfull is leading the revival of millets by blending ancient grains with modern nutrition. Their mission is to make millets relevant for today’s consumers by positioning them as a superfood that benefits health, farmers, and the environment.
Millets, once a staple in India, saw a decline with the Green Revolution, which prioritized wheat and rice. By 2022, per capita millet consumption in India had dropped to 3.87 kg annually, down from 30.94 kg in 1960. However, government-backed initiatives, including the National Year of Millets (2018) and the UN’s International Year of Millets (2023), have reignited interest in these nutrient-rich grains.
With increased awareness, the demand for millet-based packaged foods is soaring. The Indian market for such products is projected to grow at a 9.2% CAGR, from $37.7 million in 2022 to $91.1 million by 2032. This shift is driven by rising urban consumer interest and the growing availability of ready-to-eat millet-based products.
Tata Soulfull has experienced remarkable growth, with a 42% revenue increase in FY24 and a 4x growth since 2021. The brand offers an extensive range of millet-based products, ensuring they are convenient, nutritious, and affordable. Over the last two years, it has launched approximately 20 new products across various categories, including breakfast cereals, mini meals, and snacks.
Recognizing millets’ versatility, Tata Soulfull has introduced diverse products such as Ragi Bites, Millet Muesli, Millet Granola, Masala Oats+ Millets, and Corn Flakes+ (a high-fiber blend of corn and jowar). The brand has gained market share, becoming the No. 2 player in the flavored oats category within a year of launch.
Innovation and Expansion: Tata Soulfull invests heavily in innovation, collaborating with research institutes to develop advanced millet processing techniques that enhance taste while retaining nutritional value. Their proprietary technology has contributed to an increase in their innovation-to-sales ratio, reaching ~15% in H1FY25. Notably, their Ragi Bites – No Maida Chocos won the Nielsen IQ Breakthrough Innovation of 2023 Award.
The brand is expanding its presence beyond metro cities, with 70% of its H1FY25 business coming from non-metro areas. It leverages Tata Consumer Products’ vast distribution network, reaching 6 lakh outlets nationwide. A channel-agnostic approach ensures that their products are available across modern trade, e-commerce, quick-commerce, and general trade stores.
Tata Soulfull is expanding its manufacturing capabilities, with new facilities in Karnataka and Indore to enhance production efficiency and reduce distribution costs. The brand is also dedicating 20% of its revenue to marketing and consumer education. Initiatives like in-store millet festivals, school outreach programs, and sampling drives are aimed at increasing awareness. Further, it is exploring international markets, leveraging Tata Consumer Products’ distribution networks in the UK, US, Canada, UAE, and Kuwait.
Tata Soulfull plans to enter four new product categories, each valued at ₹500 crore+, strengthening its position in the ₹8,000–₹10,000 crore packaged food market. With a vision to become a top-five brand in every category it operates in, Tata Soulfull is playing a crucial role in the millet renaissance.
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Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness, famously said the celebrated French chef Auguste Escoffier. One brand that is taking his maxim seriously is Tata Soulfull from Tata Consumer Products. It is blending ancient grains with modern nutrition to bring millets from remote farmlands to dining tables across India. Their innovative, millet-based products are helping reshape dietary choices, positioning these forgotten grains as the go-to choice for modern consumers.
“We are introducing a new generation to an ancient superfood that has sustained communities for centuries,” says Prashant Parameswaran, President – Tata Soulfull. “Millets are not just a superfood but also a smart food that are good for you, good for the farmer and good for the environment. Our aim is to make millets relevant to the 21st century consumer.”
Against the grain
Regarded as a staple in many parts of the world, millets — a group of small-seeded cereal grains— were relegated to the sidelines with the onset of the Green Revolution in the 1960s and the increased focus on high-yielding crops such as wheat and rice. The slide continued with India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) discovering that the per capita consumption of millets in India had dropped from 30.94 kg/annum in 1960 to just 3.87 kg/annum in 2022. This despite the government declaring 2018 the National Year of Millets, and propelling them into the collective consciousness. To drive global awareness, the United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, labelling them ‘a global superfood’. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman even called them Shree Anna — the mother of all grains — in her 2023 Union Budget speech.
These super grains have witnessed a resurgent spike in demand over the last two years riding on government-backed promotional campaigns. A report by Transparency Market Research says that the Indian millet-based packaged food market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% from $37.7 million in 2022 to $91.1 million by 2032.
Fuelling this expansion are rising awareness levels in urban markets — millets have always been a staple food in rural India — and increased availability of ready-to-eat millet-based products. With its innovative products and extensive distribution network, Tata Soulfull is uniquely positioned to tap into this growing market. In FY24, Tata Soulfull revenues recorded an impressive 42% growth from FY23 and 4x growth from 2021.
The miracle grain
Good for you
- Ragi has 3x more calcium than milk
- Source of dietary fibre, protein and minerals
- Nutritionally denser than wheat or rice
Good for the planet
- Requires 90% less water than rice
- Uses minimal fertilisers
- Boosts biodiversity
Good for farmers
- Grows in dry conditions
- 3x yield potential
- Preserves soil fertility
- Short cultivation cycle
Recognising that customers today seek convenience without having to compromise on nutrition or flavour, Tata Soulfull has developed a wide portfolio of millet-based products at affordable price points. Over the last two years, it has launched ~20 new products, across categories like breakfast offerings, mini meals and snacks. With its innovative product portfolio that appeals to both children and adults, it has successfully transformed these resilient grains into diverse offerings that appeal to the Indian palate.
“We are very clear that we need to deliver brilliant tasting products in formats that resonate with customers today,” says Mr Parameswaran. “Millets have this amazing ability to go across categories, different consumption occasions, and age groups — from cookies to biscuits, pasta, noodles, pizza, burger, snack or a drink. The way I look at it, why can’t 5 to 10% of the entire packaged foods category be millet-based products?”
Crunch time
Challenging preconceived notions about indigenous grains, Tata Soulfull is making millets a staple in every Indian household through its ragi snacks that taste like indulgent treats, multi-millet cereals that compete with international brands and instant millet-based food products. “We offer products for two distinct target groups — kids and adults,” says Mr Parameswaran. “For kids, we focus on the breakfast and snacking moments and have different formats like the bite-sized Ragi Bites Choco Fills, which are also available in the form of a stick and in different flavours. Recently, we launched the Ragi Bites Cream Wafers, with no maida, and 16% jowar. These are the kind of snacks that appeal to kids and we ensure they are pocket-friendly.”
“While the kids are happy with the flavourful snacks, parents are really happy because we don’t have maida in any of our products,” says Mr Parameswaran, on the brand’s strategy of balancing fun and nutrition that appeals to kids and their parents. “Our ‘better for you’ approach means we create products that are rooted in the nutritional benefits of millets.”
A wholesome start
A large part of Tata Soulfull’s offerings for adults are also in the breakfast space, like Millet Muesli, Millet Granola and Masala Oats+ Millets. The products are available in a variety of flavours and have resonated deeply with consumers. The brand has a double-digit market share in the masala oats category — becoming the No 2 player in flavoured oats within one year of launch — while its muesli products have achieved ~2x market share year-on-year in modern trade.
It recently launched Corn Flakes+, a high-fibre blend of corn with jowar, to compete in the competitive $400 million Indian packaged breakfast cereal market. The company expects the product to initially contribute ~10% to its overall revenue, fuelled by the growing demand for ready-to-eat breakfast options.
Other new launches in the adult segment include Masala Oats + Dal Shakti and Masala Muesli, which offers a savoury twist to the conventionally sweet dish. “Why does muesli always have to be sweet, especially in India where we love our masalas?” quips Mr Parameswaran.
Harvesting innovation
In recent years, the company has accelerated its pace of innovation. In collaboration with leading millet research institutes, it has developed a proprietary in-house processing technology that enhances the taste and texture of millets, while retaining their nutrition. These and other technological developments in processing and packaging at its Innovation Centre in Bengaluru are paying rich dividends, with its innovation to sales ratio increasing to ~15% in H1FY25.
“There is a lot of science and research that goes into our innovations, the ingredients we use, the technical know-how and the IPs that we build into them,” says Mr Parameswaran. “Our Ragi Bites – No Maida Chocos won the Nielsen IQ Breakthrough Innovation of 2023 Award and in the last six months we have launched products in the following new categories — Wafers, Masala Muesli, Cornflakes with Jowar, and No Maida Rusk. It is important to note that we are going after categories, not just flavours. Take for example, our recently launched No Maida Rusk — the first of its kind — which has seen a positive response in four months. We also continuously research ways to address consumer pain points, like ensuring our Corn Flakes+ have a satisfying crunch even when had with warm milk.”
Graining ground
Tata Soulfull’s success can also be credited to its steadily expanding footprint, especially beyond metros — which account for 50% of its growth. It leverages Tata Consumer Products’ extensive distribution network to make its products accessible to a larger consumer base. With a strong presence in 6 lakh outlets, Tata Soulfull recorded significant growth in its distribution reach.
The company’s channel-agnostic approach to marketing has prompted it to tailor its pricing and SKU strategy to cater to consumers’ behaviour across channels and regions. While large-sized packs are intended for modern trade and e-commerce platforms, medium-sized packs are directed towards quick-commerce platforms. It especially focusses on smaller, entry-level packs — priced between Rs 5 to Rs 10 — in general trade outlets to increase accessibility and is considering developing region-specific offerings. “This strategy has really worked because customers are constantly moving between platforms and this way, they have multiple options to choose from,” says Mr Parameswaran. Its main aim is to ensure Tata Soulfull products are widely available across the country, offering consumers the convenience of choosing where to shop. The brand has seen very good traction in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, with ~70% of its H1FY25 business coming from non-metro cities.
As part of its expansion, the company is making sustained investments in boosting its manufacturing capabilities, increasing capacity and reducing distance to market with the addition of its new factory in Indore. Its 60,000sq ft factory in Karnataka is one of India’s largest value-added millet processing factories.
Seeds of change
“In the next few years, we aim to be one of the top five brands in each mainstream category that we operate in,” says Mr Parameswaran. “We are continuing to build a strong identity in the ‘better for you’ space with a marketing strategy that is spread across different channels, so as to communicate to our consumers in a seamless and consistent manner.” The company dedicates ~20% of its revenue to market newly launched products.
One of its key activations included a two-month, on-ground millet festival in partnership with a national retail chain across its 400+ stores. The brand set up stalls offering consumers a unique shopping experience in addition to increasing awareness of millets. It has also rolled out a number of sampling initiatives to educate consumers, including a school contact programme operating in eight cities.
Fields of opportunity
Millets have also experienced a significant resurgence on the global stage and Tata Soulfull has been exploring growth opportunities beyond India. Over the last two years, it has targeted markets in the UK, US, Canada, UAE and Kuwait, utilising Tata Consumer Products’ extensive international network and distribution channels to facilitate smoother market entry and gain market share quickly.
For the next stage of its growth in India, the company plans to launch products in four sizeable new categories — each at least Rs 500 crore+ — and develop more innovative SKUs. “We currently operate in a combined market size of Rs 8,000 – Rs 10,000 crore across all the categories we are in,” says Mr Parameswaran. “These are high growth categories, and we are in a good position to be a strong player.”
For Tata Soulfull, this journey of a thousand miles that began with a simple seed has germinated into a grand vision, showcasing how purposeful innovation can carve out sustainable competitive advantages in the fast-paced food industry. With its resolve to revive and reimagine these forgotten grains, the millet renaissance in India is well and truly underway!
—Sharmistha Choudhury
