A Leicester-based Indian-origin entrepreneur is setting up a food factory in Gujarat as part of a novel idea to boost global sales of Indian snacks by offering choice to potential buyers.
Nainesh Patel, managing director of Farsan in Leicester, has started constructing the factory near Baroda to make inroads into Indian, American, Chinese and Australian markets.
The Gujarat factory would allow Patel to supply two markets: quality British-made and mass-produced lower-cost.
Patel said: "It means we have the best of both worlds. If a customer says they want a competitive price, we can make it in India.
"If they want a British-made product, we make it in Leicester. It gives us more strings to our bow."
Patel is in talks with US retail giant Wal-Mart about stocking samosas, onion bhajis and other Indian snacks. He is also in talks with Indian supermarket chains such as Nature's Basket, Reliance Fresh and Spencers.
Patel said a 7,000 sq ft factory would initially be created, with the possibility of expanding this to 20,000sq ft within 18 months.
"We are from Gujarat originally and we know the raw materials and suppliers are available. We will be working with local food growers and asking them to produce according to what we require," he said.
Patel hopes that Farsan's current turnover of 600,000 pounds will go up to over one million pounds in the next year. Exports currently account for about 18 per cent of the company's sales.
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