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Regal Kitchen Foods was established in 2008 under the visionary leadership of acclaimed Founder and CEO, Mr. Manish Madan. Realizing the substantial time and effort dedicated to cooking preparations, Mr. Madan developed a brilliant strategy to revamp the culinary experience into one that is both satisfying and time-efficient for individuals from distinct backgrounds.
At Regal Kitchen Foods, with a 470-strong workforce, they take great pride in the development of exceptional, niche-oriented product brands that illustrate their commitment to excellence and innovation. Each of their brands and product categories has been meticulously crafted to cater to the unique preferences and tastes of their customers; Eat Regal, Pasta Zing, Meal Delight, Plantlicious, Reganic and Regal Kitchen.
As their next step towards revolutionised culinary excellence, Regal Kitchen Foods was the first company in India to be awarded BRCGS Plant-Based certification by Eurofins Food Assurance, a BRCGS recognised certification body.
Rapid market developments generating need
Regal Kitchen Foods are proud to have already achieved BRCGS Food Safety and Gluten-Free certification as they believe “these certifications act as a testament to our responsibility to upholding the highest standards of food safety and quality”.
In the past, they had not adhered to any plant-based standards but knew this was necessary to establish Regal Kitchen Foods as a vegan product producer: “Our decision to become certified under the plant-based global standard was largely influenced by the rapid development of the market for plant-based products, as a notable share of our product offerings fall under the vegan category. To assure compliance and fulfill the expectations of our customers, we preferred BRCGS certification”.
Implementing the Standard requirements
Regal Kitchen Foods followed a well-structured methodology:
- Training and Familiarization: Educating the team about the specific guidelines, requirements and best practices outlined in the Standard.
- Action Plan Development: The necessary steps and milestones for implementing the system requirements.
- Implementation and Effectiveness Check: Executing the specified tasks, making necessary changes, and aligning approach to comply with the Standard. Regular internal audits to identify the areas of improvement.
- Sustaining the Implemented System: Establishing mechanisms to monitor and evaluate compliance with the Standard on a continuous basis, including routine internal audits, performance reviews, and corrective actions to handle any deviations. Encouraging feedback from employees to promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Initially, Regal Kitchen Foods faced challenges in the certification process: “The challenges we faced in fulfilling the requirements of the plant-based standard pivoted around the need for skill development and knowledge enhancement in our team. We received training for the plant-based Standard, which was provided by the expert BRCGS Academy. The training enriched our skills and knowledge in learning and executing the plantbased standard effectively. By investing our time in comprehensive and structured training and workshops, we were able to successfully overcome these challenges and ensure compliance with the plant-based standard”.
Strengthening competitive position
As a result of achieving plant-based certification, Regal Kitchen Foods have seen tangible benefits such as an increase in market size and enhanced customer satisfaction. They believe it has strengthened their competitive position as the preferred choice for customers seeking plant-based food products: “The major benefits our company has experienced in being compliant with BRCGS and achieving the certification include enhanced credibility and stature, a competitive benefit in the market, access to new markets and stronger customer relationships”.
Other benefits seen at Regal Kitchen Foods include enhanced quality standards to reinforce reputation for excellence, compliance promoting trust and confidence among stakeholders, and domestic and international customers, improved food safety measures across operations, and better reliability and consistency in their supply chain.
“We expect an upsurge in profitability as we cater to the growing market demand for plant-based products and attract new buyers who appreciate the assurance provided by this esteemed certification. “We believe that this formal certification will enhance our credibility and build trust among our new customers”.
The BRCGS Plant-Based certification programme is based on a comprehensive management system approach and provides a framework for manufacturers to assist them in the production of plant-based food.