“This landmark event, besides providing opportunities for professional growth and development of Procurement Professionals and senior Managers, introduced several new initiatives that underline HPMF’s growth and its commitment to social responsibility,” said Nitin Shankar Nagrale, one of the founders and Secretary General, HPMF.

Key highlights included the unveiling of the “100 Milestones in 1000 Days” initiative, HPMF Gurukul program, plans to develop a cutting-edge tech platform, and an expansion strategy aimed at adding international chapters, government departments, and major industry partners. The emphasis on sustainability, green technology, women’s equity, participation in DEI initiative and social causes further sets HPMF apart as a fast-growing, family-like organization with a deep sense of purpose.

Attended by 525+ delegates, partners, media and well known personalities from the industry , the convention provided delegates, sponsors, professionals, partners, and awardees with a profound sense of belonging and achievement. Attendees praised the holistic nature of the event, which fostered connections and enriched professional discussions in a congenial, development-oriented yet comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere.

One of the highlights of the event was the brilliant speeches delivered by Chief Guest Surendra Jaiswal, President of HRANI and the UP Hotel & Restaurant Association. His keynote address emphasized resilience, innovation, and sustainability as crucial elements for driving the future of the hospitality sector. The Guest of Honour, Gaurav Prakash, renowned entrepreneur and hotelier, shared visionary insights into the evolving landscape of hospitality in India, with a focus on strategic partnerships and technological advancements.

The support of the Tourism Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh was instrumental in making the event a grand success. Their commitment to promoting Uttar Pradesh as a tourism and hospitality hub was acknowledged as a key element that elevated the convention’s significance, reinforcing the importance of public-private collaboration for growth.

The spiritual journey to the holy Shri Ram Lalla Temple and the cultural festivities at Ram Katha Park, which included a unique laser show, immersed attendees in the rich spiritual heritage of Uttar Pradesh. Traditional dress codes, local music, dance, qawwali performances, and a vast spread of authentic regional cuisines added to the vibrant cultural experience. The inclusion of GI-certified local arts and crafts with artisans in attendance further promoted the state’s ancient art and crafts legacy.

In addition to the cultural and spiritual dimensions, the convention achieved significant business outcomes, with more than a hundred deals and several MoUs signed during the B2B meetings valued at about 1200 crores. The value and impact of the event far exceeded expectations, delivering outcomes comparable to government-run events at a fraction of the cost.

Motivational talks, industry discussions, and presentations by top industry leaders and government officials provided invaluable insights. The exhibitions were meticulously curated, showcasing the latest products, services, and new technologies for the hospitality sector, further elevating the HORECA industry’s knowledge base.

One of the standout moments of the convention was the HPMF Procurement Excellence Awards, which recognized excellence through a rigorous and merit-based selection process. Notable honors included the Thakur Giriraj Singh Ji Lotwara Memorial Award (Winner Padmashree Dr Rajnikant), and the HPMF Lifetime Achievement Award ( Winner Mr N Srinivasan) with this year’s focus on Women Achievers of India.

Delegates and participants at HPMF 14^th Convention and Awards were particularly effusive about the excellent arrangements made by Nitin Nagrale and the HPMF team. As one participant remarked, “I have been a lifelong achiever, yet there is so much more to learn from Nitin and his remarkable team.”

The HPMF Convention has once again demonstrated the power of collaboration, vision, and execution, setting a new benchmark for industry events and earning real accolades for its substantial achievements.

Officials of the Government of Uttar Pradesh conveyed accolades to Team HPMF for a visionary, impactful event.

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Spanning over 750 square feet, the new Andheri outlet is the largest Baskin-Robbins location in Mumbai and amongst its largest in the country, symbolizing the brand’s ongoing commitment to offering premium, innovative dessert experiences to its customers. The grand opening event, attended by key stakeholders, industry leaders, and brand loyalists, was a celebration of Baskin-Robbins’ remarkable growth story in India and the SAARC region.

Since its entry into the Indian market in 1993 with Graviss Foods, master franchisee for Baskin-Robbins in India and the SAARC region, Baskin-Robbins has consistently adapted to the unique preferences of Indian consumers, making it a household name synonymous with indulgence and quality. The opening of the 1000th location is a testament to the brand’s successful strategy of using quality ingredients and offering a variety of flavours, which has fuelled its expansion across 290+ cities, including metropolitan hubs, as well as popular tourist and emerging non-metro markets, and made it one of Baskin-Robbins’ largest global markets.

Baskin-Robbins’ journey in India and the SAARC region has been characterized by continuous innovation, from introducing new flavours and formats to expanding its retail footprint through a mix of large locations, kiosks, and modern trade channels. It was one of the first brands to offer ice cream cakes, ice cream pizzas and ice cream “rocks”—bite-sized ice cream treats for easy snacking—in the region.

The brand’s ability to adapt to local market conditions and consumer preferences has been instrumental in its success, making it not just an international brand operating in India and the SAARC region, but an integral part of the consumer experience. Baskin-Robbins offers its popular signature flavours, like Mississippi Mud, Honey Nut Crunch and Bavarian Chocolate, and has also introduced menu items that draw from local sweet delicacies, like Gulab Jamun, Caramel Milkcake, and Rabdi Jalebi. In addition, it was one of the first ice cream businesses in the country to aggressively adopt online ordering several years ago and the first to have a loyalty program for its customer base.

“It’s an exciting day for us at Graviss Foods, the master franchisee for Baskin-Robbins in India and in the SAARC region, along with Inspire Brands, as we come together to celebrate the launch of Baskin-Robbins’ 1,000th location in the region.” remarked Gaurav Ghai, Chairman, Graviss Group. “This milestone reflects our shared values, deep commitment and exceptional execution in this market.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous occasion of opening our 1000th location in India,” said Michael Haley, President and Managing Director, International, Inspire Brands. “We would like to thank Graviss Foods for being such a strong franchisee in the region for over 30 years, and congratulate them, as well as the Inspire international team, for achieving this accomplishment. Baskin-Robbins’ success here is a reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional and innovative experiences tailored to the Indian palate. We are proud to be a leader in the QSR space and excited to further expand our footprint in this vibrant market.”

“As India continues its upward march towards becoming one of the world’s leading economies, Baskin-Robbins is committed to being a part of this journey, contributing to the economy, creating jobs, and delivering happiness to consumers through continuing innovation in our products and services,” added Vikram Seth, Managing Director, Graviss Foods.

To cope with growing demand, The Graviss group recently set up a new manufacturing facility for Baskin-Robbins in India. With the 1,000th location milestone in India and the SAARC region, the brand is poised for even greater growth in the coming years, driven by ongoing innovation, strategic expansion, and a deep understanding of the evolving Indian market.

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Export performance in India and economic growth is interrelated because of the older historical importance of entrepreneurship in the country. The business acumen in India runs deep in the annals of history where India was a hub for trading activities and commercial centers were highly developed. There are numerous communities in India where entrepreneurial genes and risk-taking abilities are very prominent. This background outlines the specifics of modern economic activity and the development of new ideas.

The current scenario reveals that the Indian startup ecosystem has evolved in the past few years with three generation waves of entrepreneurial activities. Every wave contains the different types of businesses and ecosystems which have been built  under the impacts of social, regulatory, technological, economic, and cultural contexts. Out of the mentioned waves, the current wave is significantly notable due to the B2B models and deep technology and intellectual Property based innovations. Gradually, startups are presenting their products and services in a specific field with global perspectives in an attempt to solve intricate problems and target the global market.

ExportersIndia.com is another progressive leader involved in the B2B business. ExportersIndia.com is one of the largest B2B marketplaces where buyers from across the globe come to source products from Indian exporters. This has become the hub through which firms get access to the international market for exposure, contacts, and business relationships for service provision, product marketing, and sales, amongst others.

Over 60K active startups today run in India in a country that is charting to becomethe third-largest startup base globally – and operate across sectors like fintech, ed- tech, SaaS. These government schemes such as Startup India and Digital India have great utility in this growth where funding and some physical infrastructure are of paramount importance.

By 2023, the internet user base is likely to reach over 850 million in India which can turn out to be one of the biggest domestic markets in the world and point to representation of international ambitions. A few examples include Ola Electric, Freshworks, and Zomato are the examples of how Indian startups are looking globally and ready to carve a niche for themselves on the global map. Based on the experience of these companies, Indian startups are ready to become the leaders of the progress in technologies in the world, if they will receive the governmental support and access to the funds for the development.

It was found that Indian startups’ competitive advantage is in improving efficiency and innovation through technology and sustainability. Its factors include environmental, societal, and fiscal variables. This involves taking into account Environmental, societal as well as fiscal factors. To take the real-life example, the exporters must lean to sustainable manufacturing, waste minimization and supply chain efficiencies for cutting emissions. Considering sustainability as a core concept, Indian startups are able to increase their competitive advantage and attract the global market that focuses on sustainable approaches.

Furthermore, it should also be noted that the performance of the export sector depends on both national and international conditions. The performance of India in exporting its goods and services to other countries is influenced by major aspects within its domestic economy and globally, these include; performance in ease of doing business and other global trade agreements. Thus, the export strategy can make India’s exporters achieve sustenance, development, and networking for individual firms and the overall economy, technology development, and international partnership and cooperation.

The evolution of the Indian startup ecosystem from the environment that gave birth to idea to the one that is nurturing some of the world’s most innovative startups is a fascinating one. This is an unceasing story of innovation and spearheaded by policy mechanisms and most importantly, a qualified population. The Indian government has been very active in supporting the ecosystem for the startup through its programs like Startup India in this transformation. These initiatives enable startups to arrive at the necessary resources, and knowledge as well as financial backing they need in order to incite and grow.

In addition, currently, there are increasing numbers of technological ventures in India which show that the markets become more specialized and competitive. Most new ventures are now featuring the creation of intellectual property (IP) and coming up with innovative high technologies that are relevant to the world market. This is an evident trend with the market bearing the capacity in contributing to the home economy as well as carving a niche in the global market.

One of the prominent features of this evolution type is the factor of technology in increasing the productivity and success rates of organizations. Today’s Indian startups are applying such technologies as AI, machine learning technologies, blockchain technology, IoT technologies, etc. Thus, these technologies are not only assisting startups to find solutions to complicated issues but also allowing them to level the playing field in the global market.

For example, in the fintech sector, the startups are coming up with solutions which focus on opening access to basic financial services, creating efficient financial solutions to conduct transactions and also enhancing security. In the ed-tech industry, what business people are developing are platforms that provide good education to the students within and outside their region. Likewise, in the SaaS segment, Indian startup companies are now providing software solutions that can be demanded by business entities globally.

The best expositions to the information are such points: Today, Indian startups are successfully participating in the global market, and it indicates the increase of the country’s role in foreign trade. The expanding businesses across the borders in India are positively happening to the country by boosting its export figure and also further strengthening the country’s image as a hub of innovation and start-ups. The following are some of the factors that make it possible to extend the operations of the company across the globe; Current and favorable trade relations in global markets help in opening new markets of Indian services and products.

Hence, it can be concluded that India’s economic growth over the past decade has been significantly fuelled by the dynamic expansion of its export sector, particularly through the rise of the Indian startup ecosystem. Indian startups’ successful participation in the global market enhances the country’s role in foreign trade, boosts export figures, and solidifies India’s reputation as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Culinary Innovation: MSMEs are the torchbearers of innovation in the restaurant industry. They are often the pioneers who experiment with novel flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques. Their creativity keeps the industry dynamic and offers fresh culinary experiences while generating new employment opportunities.

Agility and Adaptability: MSMEs possess an innate flexibility that sets them apart from large corporations. This adaptability enables them to respond swiftly to market changes, making them resilient in the face of economic downturns and more attuned to customer needs.

Community-Centric: MSMEs are deeply rooted in their communities, fostering a strong sense of social responsibility. They are more inclined to support local businesses, contribute to charitable causes, and actively engage in community development initiatives.

Government Support: Governments often extend special schemes, incentives, and access to loans, tax benefits, and subsidies to promote the growth of MSMEs. Recognizing a restaurant as an MSME opens doors to these opportunities, significantly enhancing its prospects for success and sustainability

Equitable Competition: Classifying restaurants as MSMEs promotes fairness and healthy competition within the industry. This designation empowers policymakers to craft tailor-made policies and regulations that cater to the specific needs of the restaurant sector, thereby fostering a conducive business environment.

Financial support

Moreover, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have emerged as essential sources of financial support for MSMEs in the restaurant industry, especially in addressing equipment deficiencies like machinery. These specialized firms offer quick and accessible financing solutions, bridging the gap left by traditional banks and financial institutions.

For MSMEs in the restaurant sector grappling with equipment-related challenges, lending entities like Kinara Capital, with a focus on last-mile assistance, provide a convenient and efficient way to secure loans. These business loans can be employed to procure essential equipment, including refrigerators, crucial for preserving food items and upholding quality standards.

One of the key advantages of seeking financial aid from NBFCs is the flexible lending criteria and streamlined application procedures, resulting in faster approvals and swift access to funds. By leveraging these loans, restaurant MSMEs can invest in refrigeration systems and other machinery, thereby elevating their operational efficiency, enhancing

food storage capabilities, and ensuring compliance with food safety standards. This not only minimizes wastage but also guarantees a consistent and high-quality dining experience for their  customers.

Conclusion

The restaurant industry in India is a vibrant and ever-evolving sector that showcases the country’s rich culinary heritage and cultural diversity. It is a dynamic landscape where traditional flavors meet innovative concepts.

With its constant evolution and commitment to culinary excellence, the Indian restaurant industry continues to delight food enthusiasts and contribute to the country’s vibrant food scene. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a crucial role in this sector by offering variety, flexibility, and community orientation.

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The confectionery division of DS Group has grown at over 20% CAGR over the past three years, outpacing the industry growth rate of 9%. The company plans to accelerate its business with an estimated CAGR of 30% over the next five years through both organic and inorganic growth.

With one of the largest distribution networks in the country, DS Group’s confectionery products are available in over 26 lakh retail outlets, both directly and indirectly. The company holds a close dominant market share in the Hard-Boiled Candy (HBC) and Indian Ethnic Confectionery (IEC) segments as compared to its competitors. This growth is driven by innovation and a route-to-market omnichannel strategy, including modern retail, e-commerce, and quick commerce channels.

Aligned with its sustainability goals, DS Group has deployed a robust fleet of over 800 electric vehicles for the distribution of its confectionery products, contributing to a cleaner environment. Additionally, DSFL has successfully transformed the Indian Ethnic Confectionery category into a branded and organized market, providing consumers with unique options that cater to their preferences.

Leveraging its deep understanding of the flavors and tastes of modern India, DS Group is strategically modernizing its ethnic product portfolio. The company focuses on Gen Z habits, strengthens modern trade channels, capitalizes on influencer marketing, and harnesses new-age technologies to amplify product reach, embodying its corporate ideology of ‘Create What is Worth Creating’.

Commenting on the milestone, Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, DS Group, said, “We are thrilled to announce the ₹1,000 crore sales turnover of our confectionery arm in FY 2023-24. This achievement results from our strategic focus on enhancing indigenization, expanding our product portfolio, and maintaining one of the largest distribution networks in the country. Looking ahead, we aim to grow our presence in the chocolate segment while strategically expanding our leadership position in the Indian ethnic confectionery category with innovative products.”

Currently, DS Group holds a strong position in North and East India and is strategically expanding its presence in South and West India. The company aims to achieve a sales turnover of Rs 5,000 crore over the next five years.

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