Meisterwurst India to foray into plant-based food segment with 'Veganya'

Bangalore-based Meisterwurst, an authentic German sausage manufacturer that offers premium pork/chicken products, started its operations in 2017 to serve the D2C Market with online and offline channels. Meisterwurst is the brainchild of Arthur Maurer, a German with a passion for German foods and a love of the Indian people.

Conceptualized with the sole aim of bringing the freshest top-quality processed meats and a variety of Germany's authentic flavors to the people, MeisterWurst took on challenges the processed food industry posed and set up a factory, opened retail outlets in Pan India, developed channels with distributors and wholesalers, and soon became a force-to-be-reckoned within the FMCG Industry – both in India and abroad.

Arthur Maurer, founder and chief executive officer of Meisterwurst India, says, "We are still the only one of this kind in India. We have made our mark as the innovative leader in German processed meats using high-tech equipment, a state-of-the-art cold storage unit, only top caliber produce and our very own in-house German Master Butcher, whose scrutiny guarantees quality and perfection in every product."

From the beginning, Meisterwurst has become known for its unparalleled quality, exquisite flavors, and successful marketing strategies. The company strictly follows European and international standards. Maurer explains, "We test our products that go to the German TUV in India , and we are FSSAI,  HACCP, ISO 22000:2018 and FSSC 22000 certified. We look for quality and I believe people are going towards a more hygienic outlook."

The brand offers customized products with a distinctive specialty range. It currently has more than 100 products on the market with the vision to be a leader in the Indian food processing markets. To supply such a rise in demand for high-quality food and to meet such challenges, Meisterwurst is scaling the brand to new heights by entering new markets with its dark store partner, which allows it to deliver its products to customers quickly and efficiently. The company covers many states of India, including Bangalore (Head Office), Kolkata, New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pondicherry, and Kochi, with many more in progress.

Chasing authentic customer needs

Consumers today are looking for unique, traditional and exquisite flavors to quench their taste buds. Understanding such demand, the company believes in following European and international standards to offer the best quality and a variety of authentic flavors from Germany to India. Maurer says, "The demand for high-quality food is increasing, and we are meeting it by offering customized products and a unique specialty range. We adhere to our standards and offer authentic taste and ingredients imported from Europe to fulfill such cravings. In India, we are producing a Mercedes in Food."

Evolving market

In India, over 37% of people consume meat at least weekly. According to research by Redseer, the Indian meat market will reach more than 85 billion US dollars by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 6.5%. With such an evolving market, the company understands that Indian consumers are looking for dependable suppliers and prepared food retailers - across their footprint. Thus, the brand has invested in the D2C chain, helping it cover the huge market size and become the best household brand. Speaking about the market in India, he shares, "Despite the difficulties, investing in true D2C gives you a competitive advantage. It also improves your marketability. The future is exciting and full of opportunities, particularly in India, one of the world's fastest-growing economies."

According to him, everyone has plenty of room to maneuver because of the meat market size and demographic dividend. He explains, "Meat is an important category with no comparable offerings in the quality segment. The Indian market for quality prepared food through retailers and home delivery is thriving, and they require dependable suppliers across their entire footprint."

Entry to plant-based food with 'Veganya'

Meisterwurst is all prepared with the launch of its new vegan brand Veganya. The brand will showcase plant-based food with authentic European flavors and ingredients. "Meisterwurst is preparing to test their vegan food in India. Given its large vegetarian population and centuries of vegetarianism, we believe there is no better place than India to capture the Vegan market. We're preparing to launch Veganya, a dedicated brand selling Vegan food. We plan to grow Meisterwurst in both online and offline markets. We are also looking for unique shopping experiences to be known as meister wurst shops," Maurer concluded.