Gourmet products
France is famous worldwide for its gourmet products. Foie gras (goose liver pate), meat products, honeys and jams, cheese and other products from the land, gives it the image of a gastronomic country. The majority of these specialities are the result of an ancestral know-how and are produced only in France. They bear testimony, for the most part, to an exceptional level of quality, and a growing number of countries including India are demanding these types of products.
Current Market Prospects
The last few years have witnessed a dramatic change in the traditional consumption habits, which is a very promising development for foreign products such as gourmet food. Due to the evolving lifestyles and consumption habits, the market for gourmet products is rapidly and continuously growing. The opportunities are therefore, numerous. Flagship products of this market include those that France could be a leader in, if it can position itself well in relation to its competitors. For many Indians, imported products are still considered synonymous of quality and safety even though cheaper Indian equivalents are available.
Cakes and biscuits: a wide variety of traditional recipes
Dry biscuits and snacks, egg biscuits and wafers, pastry, chocolate and assorted biscuits, madeleines, cakes, waffles, gingerbread, layered, pound cake and sponge cake, local specialities…the French family of cakes and biscuits is quite big. And the professionals of the sector have set down guidelines to preserve the traditional recipes of these cereal based products, in which flour is the main ingredient.
To address consumers’ concerns about nutritional quality, suppliers work to incorporate a major proportion of cereals in their formulations, and also offer lower basis weight and low-sugar, low-fat products.
Candy, confectionary and chewing-gums: a greedy inventory
Toffees, « calissons », « berlingots », marshmallows, candies, nougats…France abounds with local specialities which make it a paradise of confectionaries: jellied sweets, chewing-gums, liquorices, barley sugar, lozenges, lollipops, crystallized fruits… It is difficult to speak about all the products which make up this universe of sweets, which spans five centuries of French culinary traditions.
Offering safe products to consumers is the confectioner’s priority. To insure that legitimate safety standards are respected, French professionals observe preventive food safety procedures, right from the conception of the product (professional practices in terms of non-edible objects associated with confectionary, presentation and shape of the products…) .
Products from the beehive
Amber, golden, translucent, creamy or liquid honey, as well as royal jelly and pollen…the delights of honey are many! Known not only for it taste and nutritional qualities but also for its beneficial effects, France uses its thousand years of knowledge to product high quality honeys.
Honey is a marvellous natural product and its chemistry, like that of wine, is very complex, subtle and heterogeneous. India, a 70 million euros honey market, is still dominated by the blended and the processed version of this gift of nature. However honey has now emerged as a lifestyle and a boutique product in its new version, “Monofloral Honey”. The acceptance of this unique product is increasing at a brisk pace wherein people are taking to honey as a subject of connoisseurship or a collector's item. France, known for its flora and fauna, produces arguably the best monofloral varietals of honey in the world such as Lavender, Chestnut, Pumpkin Blossom, Lime Blossom, Acacia and Sunflower.
An appetising aperitif!
Tortillas, tuiles, crackers, pretzels, wafers, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, almonds, pecan nut, dried fruits and soufflés… there are more than 250 sorts of French aperitif to nibble on. The variety in their shapes, tastes and textures, allows them to be added to a multitude of culinary combinations, from the most classic to the most original.
Condiment and seasoning
A whole world of flavour and seasoning is hidden in these products, which are full of subtlety, strength and flavour. Add a touch of refinement to your dishes; escape with typical French cuisine. Oils, vinegar, sauces and condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, packaged spices… Cooking with this small ingredient makes all the difference!
The innovation in the sector relies on the practicality and design of the packaging, personalization of the recipes by offering more exotic tastes. Some small companies are developing traditional gastronomic and gustative products. The concept of low-fat products remains popular, with the introduction of new labels “extra-light”.