Tapovan Impex: Leading quality and innovation in F&B exports

Leaderspeak, zLead Slider
January 20, 2025

In this episode of Food Frontiers, we spoke with Vikas Makhija, MD, Tapovan Impex Pvt Ltd, a leading manufacturer and exporter of food and non-food products under three leading brands: Bharat Bazaar, Thela Style, and Bhakti Ras. Tapovan has a strong presence in markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, driven by a commitment to quality and consumer satisfaction.

He shares insights into Tapovan’s export strategies, including maintaining stringent quality control, introducing innovative products like nostalgic Indian beverages under their Thela Style brand, and adopting sustainable practices like triple-layer packaging to enhance shelf life without preservatives.

IBT: How has Tapovan Impex’s export strategy evolved over the years and which international markets have shown maximum traction? What are the factors that contributed to your success?

Vikas Makhija: Tapovan is majorly involved in the manufacturing of spices, rice, lentils, and bakery products under the Bharat Bazaar brand name. The biggest markets for us are the US and Canada. In Europe, we have a presence in some countries like UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Norway etc. Asia Pacific is also a big market for us we have a presence in many countries start from Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand etc.

Regarding brand strategies what we are majorly concerned about is the quality control, since the international market is very sensitive regarding the product’s quality. From day one, our company is 99.9% complaint free. We offer the best quality products that are economically cost effective, always mindful of consumer benefits, long shelf life, packaging with the less preservatives, and consistent improvements.

This year at the Indusfood Show we launched our Bharat Bazaar Rice. Earlier, we used to do collaborate with the other brands, but now, Bharat Bazaar is introducing their own brand representing farmers. We have named our rice as the Bharat Bazaar Dhaanvir and another one is the Bharat Bazaar Bharatvir to represent the farmers.

IBT: Diverse international F&B markets showcase unique tastes and preferences. Can you share some examples about how your brands adopts their product offerings to cater to the special needs and unique preferences of the customers?

Vikas Makhija: My team and I used to travel all over the world to survey the market and stay updated on current market trends and unique customer preferences.

Based on our past experience, we observed that companies were introducing innovative products. Drawing from this insight, three years ago, we launched a Thela-style brand offering a unique range of nostalgic Indian drinks like Shikanji, Amras, and Banta soda, along with superfoods such as makhana, which is now a significant market player, and various seeds, all under the Thela concept.

We have been participating in Indusfood for the past six years, and during this time, we have also attended other international exhibitions in Dubai, the US, Australia, and Canada. By exploring opportunities in international markets, we bring back valuable insights to our factories, where we work on creating innovative new products.

IBT: Sustainability and smart packaging are the emerging trends. In what ways is Tapovan Impex embracing the sustainability and smart manufacturing practices to maintain a competitive edge in the global F&B industry?

Vikas Makhija: With a competitive edge in sustainable packaging and product quality, we procure raw materials during the harvest season based on our sales data, ensuring a sufficient supply for 12 months. These materials are stored in cold storage to enhance quality and maintain cost-effectiveness. This strategy is followed year-round to consistently provide cost-efficient products for our customers and their end consumers.

At Tapovan Impex, we prioritize meeting consumer needs throughout the year. All our procurements are carefully timed to align with these requirements.

The second stage involves packaging, where we primarily use triple-layer packaging. For our spices and rice, metalized packaging proves effective in extending shelf life without the use of preservatives. We follow methods recommended by the Spice Board of India to ensure the quality of our spices. The Board conducts weekly visits to our factory for sampling and quality checks. Additionally, we perform our own quality checks to cross-verify their sampling reports, ensuring the highest standards for our products.

This rigorous approach has enabled us to maintain impeccable quality control, resulting in 16 years without a single customer complaint regarding our spices.

IBT: What steps do you think the government and the trade promotion bodies should take to strengthen India’s F&B exports, particularly to support SMEs and expanding their global reach.

Vikas Makhija: Over the last 10 years, the F&B industry in India has been effectively managed by the Indian government, state governments, and the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI). In the spices industry alone, our exports have reached approximately US$ 4 billion, marking a growth of nearly 100% over the past decade.

Recently, I had the privilege of attending a meeting with Shri Piyush Goyal, our Commerce Minister, where he shared our Prime Minister’s vision to increase spice exports from the current US$ 4 billion to US$ 10 billion annually within the next five years. The government is providing us with numerous opportunities. With this support, we are building a new factory in Sonipat and continuously improving to serve both international and domestic markets.

One critical area where I hope for government intervention is in banning pesticides that are already prohibited in international markets. I have submitted a report on this issue to the Spice Board of India. With the current generation raising awareness and consumers becoming more informed about this concern, I sincerely hope the government takes action to address it.

IBT: Reflecting on your experiences in Indusfood, how do you view its role in promoting F&B exports, What are your thoughts and expectations regarding the Indusfood 2025?

Vikas Makhija: Before the inception of Indusfood, we participated in various F&B exhibitions globally, but there was no comparable platform in India. Earlier we used to go to Gulf food in Dubai, Summer Fancy Food Show in the US, and many different food shows, however, since Indusfood began seven years ago, it has emerged as the largest platform for the F&B industry in India.

Having attended it for the past six years, we have consistently garnered maximum exposure through this event. Looking ahead, we are confident that within the next five years, Indusfood will surpass all other international F&B exhibitions, solidifying India as the leading market for exports in the near future.

Vikas Makhija is a commerce graduate turned entrepreneur and the Managing Director of Tapovan Impex Pvt. Ltd. (TIPL), a company that has made significant strides in the food and beverage industry. Inspired by his grandfather’s legacy, Vikas launched the flagship brand ‘Bharat Bazaar’ in 2005, transforming TIPL from a small business established in 2004 into a One Star Government Recognized Export House with exports spanning over 40 countries.

Under his leadership, TIPL has built a diverse portfolio of successful brands. ‘Bharat Bazaar’ is celebrated for its premium spices and bakery products, ‘Thela Style’ introduces nostalgic Indian beverages, superfoods, and snacks, while ‘Bhakti Ras’ caters to spiritual needs with its specialized offerings.