ITC's Sachid Madan on the market for frozen foods...

ITC recently introduced a new range of over 50 frozen food products targeting both retail and food service players. We spoke to Sachid Madan, chief executive - Frozen Snacks, Fruits and Vegetables, ITC Limited about the market and how it has changed over the years.

Name a couple of available frozen foods in the market around you. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian burger patties and French Fries, would be your answer, right? Kolkata headquartered consumer goods company ITC has now introduced not just a few, but 50 new 'desi' frozen food product offerings under its ITC Master Chef brand.

The new range of snacks – both vegetarian and non vegetarian - focuses on preservative free, low fat, healthier options keeping the ethnic flavours and tastes in mind. It includes a range of Kebabs including Hara Bhara, Beetroot, Dahi, Rajma ki Galouti, Falafel in vegetarian and Chicken Galouti Kebab, Chicken Mediterranean Kebab in non-vegetarian, Mumbai Vada Pop inspired by the Mumbai Batata Vada, Lime and Mint Wedges inspired by our love for Pudina and a flavourful Aloo Tikki.

We spoke to Sachid Madan, chief executive - Frozen Snacks, Fruits and Vegetables, ITC Limited, about the frozen food market in India and how it has changed over the years. After having spent 13 years at HUL at the beginning of his career in 1982, Madan moved on to join Mafatlal Denims in 1995 as the chief executive officer. He later worked at Agro Tech Foods (subsidiary of ConAgra Foods) as vice president between 1998 and 2004. Madan joined Technico Agri Sciences (A part of ITC Group) as chief executive in 2004 and held the position until taking up his current role at ITC in 2017.

Edited excerpts from the interview.