As India’s demand for healthy convenience foods grows, Tasty Nibbles is looking beyond its strong Kerala roots to establish itself as a national brand. The company believes canned tuna, still a relatively underpenetrated category in India, has the potential to become a mainstream protein choice, driven by changing consumer lifestyles and greater awareness around health.
Speaking to Impact Magazine, Cherian Kurian, Managing Director of Tasty Nibbles, said the brand’s recent decision to onboard Milind Soman as its ambassador is part of a larger ambition to broaden its appeal across the country.
“We want to also change the image that we are a Kerala company. We want to be known as a national brand,” Kurian says, adding that the company chose Soman because he naturally embodies health, nutrition and wellness.
While Tasty Nibbles currently commands nearly 85 per cent of India’s canned tuna market, Kurian believes the bigger opportunity lies in expanding the category itself rather than simply defending market share. “Our current market share is close to 85 per cent. But that 85 per cent is not a huge volume considering the population of the country. We see a big chance to penetrate much more into the market,” he adds.
The company’s pitch is centred on convenience without compromising on health. With more dual-income households and time-starved consumers, Kurian believes ready-to-eat protein options will become increasingly relevant. Canned tuna, he explained, can be consumed directly or used to prepare sandwiches, salads, cutlets and other quick meals.
A key challenge, however, is overcoming Indian consumers’ perception that canned foods contain preservatives. Kurian stresses that Tasty Nibbles’ products rely on Japanese retort technology rather than chemical preservatives. “The technology of canning or retort processing does not require any preservatives to be added either in the can or in the pouches,” he shares, noting that the process sterilises the product while allowing it to be stored safely at room temperature.
The company is also seeing strong momentum through quick commerce, which Kurian described as an important growth driver. “Our sales of canned tuna have really grown in the last two years through the quick commerce route,” he mentions, attributing the growth to consumers increasingly prioritising convenience.
Looking ahead, Kurian remains unfazed by the prospect of larger FMCG companies entering the category. “Competition cannot be prevented, and competition is a good thing,” he said. “We have already made headway, and we have the know-how, the technology and the expertise already in place.”
Backed by national expansion, quick commerce, and rising interest in healthy convenience foods, Tasty Nibbles is wagering that canned tuna’s growth story in India is still in its early days.
