Chief Minister Rural Development Fellow (CMRDF) lights a village after 70 years in Amravati District

 Bulumgavhan, a remote tribal village with dense forest cover situated in the interiors of Maharashtra’s Amaravati district is beaming with joy.  As the 70 years long wait has finally come to an end. The villager’s dream of ' seeing light of the day' has finally come true as it witnessed their homes lit up with electricity and commuting by public bus became a reality.

Since Independence, this village has been finding itself engulfed in darkness after sundown as the village did not have an electricity connection leaving 105 households with a glimmer of hope. In such dismissal situation CMRDF Anand Joshi from Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Foundation was deputed in the village where he stepped in as a “Ray of Hope” for Bulumgavhan village. He studied and identified about the critical conditions villagers were facing through a baseline survey of the village through which he identified the basic need of electricity in the village was missing, there on he decided to bring a new dawn of independence in the villager’s life. Anand is part of the Chief Minister Fellowship program under the aegis of Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Foundation, a mission to transform 1000 villages of the state. 

 Anand Joshi’s first task was to provide electricity to the village which was successfully completed under Prime Minister’s “Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya” scheme. The scheme provides free electricity connection to all households in rural areas and also poor families located in urban areas. After rigorous follow-up with the Line Department and District Administration he was ultimately successful in providing electricity to each and every house of the village.

The next major challenge which our CMRDF came across was availability of Public Transport for the Bulumgavhan villagers. Under the able guidance of district collector he took endless efforts to bring “Laal Pari” available for the villager which was going to make their life more easy and accessible. 

Digital Anganwadi was also one of his successful projects for the village. Where he took meticulous efforts to start digital schooling for the children of the village by using solar energy in order to educate them and secure their future.

Taking into consideration of the drought conditions of Bulumgavhan village, Anand Joshi decide to construct soak pits through the “MNREGA” scheme which also enhances the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guarantying 100 days of wage employment.

Elated by the new development the villagers held a special program as they distributed sweets, celebrating the illumination with local folk dance Gadli Sasul and erected welcome arches all over the village. They danced to the beats of Dhol-Damau and appreciated the effort of government administration and Chief Minister Rural Development Fellow Anand Joshi whose effort and commitment to the cause finally bear fruit.

Anand has been living in the village for the past one year and has been actively engaging with the villagers and have managed to mobilize people for community development and is one step closer of transforming the village into a model village. On the occasion, Honorable Guardian Minister Shri. Praveen Pote congratulated the efforts of Anand Joshi and appreciated the villagers for their unconditional support. He said, “Bulumgavhan village is the perfect case of people’s participation for development. The government’s vision is to develop model villages on various social indicators in the most remote parts of the state. I would like to thank the CMRDF- Anand Joshi, district administration and Grampanchyat for ensuring that the village sees light of the day and gets connected to various others parts of Maharashtra.  The CM’s vision of developing 1000 modern villages is indeed noteworthy. The entire program is for people of Maharashtra and I appeal villagers to take part in the transformation movement to bring about a positive change.”

Through this challenging journey Anand was mentored and supported by District Collector Shri. Abhijit Bhangar, IAS and Sectional Divisional officer Shri. Vijay Rathod. After scripting the success story of Bulumgavhan Anand Joshi, CMRDF said, “Today I can heave a sigh of relief. This light will not only enlighten the households but also act as a tool of transformation for the   present and the future generation. This is a collective effort of the government administration and the villagers. I take this opportunity to thank Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Foundation (MVSTF) , the Government officials and last but not the least the villagers of Bulumgavhan who have transformed this dream into a reality."

Mr. Abhijit Bangar said, “Villagers should get access to basic amenities for their livelihood. Keeping this in mind, the development work that has taken place through Village Social Transformation Foundation is indeed noteworthy. Our focus is to develop all the villages and upgrade the infrastructure of villages that have been selected under ' 1000 village initiative' launched by the Hon'ble Chief Minister. Our priority is to give importance to core issues like education, health and energy. Development of Bulumgavhan is going to be a landmark achievement in the transformation of rural Maharashtra." 

Speaking about the development, Mr. Ramnath Subramaniam, CEO, MVSTF said, “We are delighted to see smiling faces of the villagers. Our CMRDF- Anand Joshi’s pro-active approach once again reiterates our commitment towards transformation of rural Maharashtra with unique approach and initiatives. This re-affirms our focus on developing remotest villages of the state which are deprived of basic infrastructure and amenities. I would also like to thank and congratulate District administration, Grampanchat & CMRDF and the villagers for their collaborative efforts to achieve a major breakthrough.” 

6th edition of UBM Children, baby Maternity Expo 2018

UBM India’s Children, Baby Maternity Expo 2018 readies itself to match high industry expectations

The 6^th edition of a uniquely positioned Business Expo

UBM India is set to host the 6^th edition of the uniquely positioned Children, Baby and Maternity Expo India 2018 (CBME India) from 26^th –28^th April, 2018 at Hall 3 of the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The largest children and maternity product business expo in India, the CBME India will offer unrivalled business opportunity for local and global manufacturers and sellers of baby products to connect, network and conduct business with a choice of distributors, Importers, dealers influencers and merchandise heads from modern retail businesses, online retailers, aggregators,  service providers, business investors, and franchisee seekers. These professionals cater to baby, child wear, children shoe stores, maternity wear shops; toy shops, supermarkets, hypermarkets, department stores, pre-schools, nursing homes, individual buyers, service companies, designers, associations and Consulates.

The three-day exhibition will bring together Indian and global suppliers, manufacturers of child, baby and maternity products and services, all under one umbrella.  The expo is poised to feature over 150 national and international exhibitors from 12 exhibiting countries and regions. These industry players will present 450+ brands  to showcase and launch an exhaustive spectrum of baby care products, toys, baby food, organic clothing, nutraceuticals, ergonomic furniture, licensing brands, stationery, gifts, infant safety technology, brain development tools among a rich array of other quality, technologically advanced and aesthetically pleasing international products. This year, the trade fair will see enthusiastic participation from countries such as China, Canada, Korea; Singapore; Russia; Saudi Arabia; UK, USA, Vietnam,  and Thailand.  Most significantly, the event is well-supported by key associations such as Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA), Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IICCI) and All India Association (AIAI).

Some of the key exhibitors will include The Himalaya Drug Company, Nobel Hygiene Pvt. Ltd, Artsana India Pvt. Ltd, R for Rabbit Baby Products Pvt. Ltd., Azafran Innovacion Ltd., Mandot Impex, Royal Industries (Thailand) Public Company Limited, First Care India Pvt. Ltd., Nectar Biopharma Pvt. Ltd., M/s. A Star Marketing Pvt Ltd., Dream Theater, Resper International (India) Pvt. Ltd, Sunheri Marketing Pvt Ltd, Galaxy Incorporation, Superbrandz Medical Innovations Pvt Ltd., Softsens Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd. and Me N Moms Pvt. Ltd.

Over the course of the 3 days, CBME 2018 will comprise a number of salient features including power – packed knowledge sessions, seminars, discussion of new trends and various international pavilions to surge into the rapidly expanding and diverse retail sector in India.  A special Licensing Pavilion by LIMA is bound to attract visitors along with the presence of a number of licensing industry experts including Mr. Nitin Karla – Director AI Licensing India Pvt Ltd., Mr.  Permendra Singh - Head - Consumer Products Mattel Toys (India) Pvt Ltd. among others, who will be present to discuss “Leveraging Licensing to Grow your Market” .  The session will cover top trends in licensing in the kids category, how brand owners and manufacturers can benefit from adding licensing to their portfolio supported by the growth in Indian retail and its impact on licensing, and upcoming opportunities in new licensing genres.

The special ‘Fashion N Kids Conclave’ session will discuss the following topics;

·         Revolution in Kids wear & Market trends

·         Role of fibre type in kids wear

·         Challenges in Sourcing/Manufacturing/Marketing or Branding for kids wear

·         Organic clothing- Future for Kids wear Market

·         User friendliness in Digital Networking in Retail segment

·         Advanced Finishes for kids wear

·         Future of Kids wear in India in line with Global trends

Speaking on the announcement of CBME 2018, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “We are happy to announce the 6^th edition of CBME, an expo that is specially customized to India’s needs as a burgeoning and young population. The CBME is an ideal place to explore market trends and learn the consumers’ shifting needs. Over the years it has played a crucial role in the market by creating awareness, and demand for novel products that truly make parenting easy and a joy.”

He added, “In its quest to deliver unique and innovative value propositions to exhibitors and visitors alike, this year, CBME India will witness a special pavilion on licensing. The lucrative licensing and merchandising industry has been growing because of the easy accessibility of international entertainment to Indian consumers and a corresponding increase in the fan base among them, seen for instance, in case of global music bands or cartoon characters. We hope this will foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the Indian business community.”

While the child care sector in India is still at a nascent stage, it is one with immense potential due to an ever growing population. The sector is poised to develop significantly at a CAGR of around 17 percent in terms of revenue. In terms of products, although highly fragmented, it is increasingly getting dominated by organised players due to the ethical nature of infant and child care, which includes sub-categories such as nutrition, well-being, intellectual stimulation, tender skin and hair care.  

Jiggy George, Head; Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA):

“It is exciting times for Licensing in India with the industry at a tipping point. The growth in scale and scope of licensing in the last few years is a sign of its growing significance. Small and Medium Enterprises, specially in the kids category, have a lot of opportunity to leverage licensing and we at LIMA India are excited to see their greater participation. Coupled with the growth of the economy, retail and E-commerce, licensing as a industry is definitely on a roll.”

Premanath Jayakumar, Director; Resper International India (Pvt) Ltd

“The Indian market for Child Birth & Maternity products has become more organized, with increasing literacy rates in households. Also, childbirth in educated and affluent households has led to the growing demand for maternity fashion, pre-natal health products, new born consumables, baby shower products etc. At CBME India this year, we are looking forward to meeting new brands and their innovations that cater to the specifics of the Indian consumer demographics -- this would result in business for us. We will be participating for the first time at CBME India, where we will be introducing the all new ‘i-Size’, which meets the tough European regulation standards for making car seats safer. India still has a staggering high rate of child deaths per year involved in road accidents and this technology will definitely help in making the roads safer for children.”

Kunal Popat, Founder;  R for Rabbit Baby Products Pvt.  Ltd.

“The market for Child, Baby and Maternity is growing very fast with an overall CAGR of 20%. The growth of e-Commerce has also helped in reaching out to millions of customers, especially in II and III tier towns where there is an inherent hesitation in shopping at Child and Baby Shops. We have high expectations from CBME India, as it is the only unique show for children, baby and maternity products in the country, and expect a large number of Retailers and Distributors to attend the Expo. This is a sector which will see a number of innovations due to growth, and hence we shall be looking forward to a number of interesting, innovative products. We will also be showcasing some of our latest innovations which we are very keen to present to the Indian consumer.”

Pradyumn & Krishna, Founders; Buddsbuddy

“CBME is very important for us as we got huge recognition in the Babycare market with last year's Expo. It's a must-showup platform for every aspiring International Babycare and Maternity brand. It gives us unli mited opportunities to connect with our country's best distributors, vendors, and customers as well.  We are very hopeful for our participation at the 2018 Expo and are looking forward to getting even better responses.”

Rajesh Vohra, Chief Executive Officer, Artsana India, Chicco

“Chicco is happy to be associated with Children Baby Maternity Expo (CBME) right from its inception in India. We at Chicco, being a leading multi-specialist baby care brand, have utilised this platform to showcase our wide range of products in Nursing, Cosmetics and baby travel to our esteemed customers and channel partners, pan-India. CBME is playing an important role of developing the baby care category in India and Chicco is proudly associated with this initiative.”

UBM India is India's leading exhibition organizer that provides the industry with platforms that bring together buyers and sellers from around the world, through a portfolio of exhibitions, content led conferences & seminars. UBM India hosts over 25 large scale exhibitions and 40 conferences across the country every year; thereby enabling trade across multiple industry verticals. A UBM Asia Company, UBM India has offices across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. UBM Asia is owned by UBM plc which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. UBM Asia is the leading exhibition organizer in Asia and the biggest commercial organizer in mainland China, India and Malaysia.

For further details, please visit www.ubmindia.in.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ) : Symptoms, Treatment & Awareness

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the 2^nd most common cause of work absenteeism in India & negatively impacts quality of life reveals survey by HCFI

·         Medical Practitioners surveyed feel that peppermint oil is a safe and better treatment option that can help alleviate symptoms

·         Over 3000 patients and 300 medical practitioners participated in the survey

A study conducted by the HCFI, a leading National Health NGO has revealed that about 5-10% of the population surveyed experiences symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation or incomplete evacuation. Yet, majority of them do not seek medical help.

The study aimed at analyzing IBS from the physician and patient’s point of view – awareness about the disease, its impact on day-to-day life and treatment options. It is interesting to note that even though 84.6% of the respondents felt that abdominal pain or other symptoms of IBS cannot be ignored, an overwhelming 58% of them use over-the-counter medications for relief and did not see a doctor. Given the impact of IBS on a person’s day-to-day life, it is important to raise awareness about IBS amongst both the medical fraternity and patients about IBS.

Speaking about this, Dr. Philip Abraham from P D Hinduja Hospital Mumbai, said, “IBS is a chronic common condition of the digestive system and is second only to the common cold as a cause of absence from work. This condition often begins in young adulthood with women twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with it. Most people with IBS have a mild form of the disorder and can cope quite well without getting any treatment. However, sometimes, the symptoms are so strong that it can significantly affect everyday lives, causing distress. A number of natural therapies have been used for the treatment of IBS. It is possible to relieve the symptoms of this condition through antispasmodics. Peppermint oil has emerged as a safe treatment option for the condition.”

The most common symptom of IBS is abdominal pain with changes in bowel habits (diarrhea and/or constipation). Abdominal pain is typically crampy and varies in intensity. Some people notice that emotional stress and eating worsen the pain, and that having a bowel movement relieves the pain. Women may notice an association between pain episodes and their menstrual cycle.

Dr Chetan Bhatt from Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital , Mumbai, opined, “Currently, there are many challenges that cloud the diagnosis and subsequent management of IBS. Some of these include lack of consistent biological markers, reliance on patient symptoms for diagnosis, difficulty in quantifying symptoms objectively, varying symptoms among individuals, and the fact that many organic conditions can masquerade as IBS. Lack of awareness about the condition among people and the medical fraternity at large further exacerbates the problem.”

The results of the survey conducted amongst the medical practitioners on the treatment methodologies for IBS revealed that almost 55.9% of the doctors use a symptom directed, multi drug approach in the treatment of IBS; 54.5% doctors prescribe antispasmodics; and another 30.8% prescribe antibiotics, antispasmodics.

About 80% of the doctors surveyed believe that an ideal antispasmodic for the treatment of IBS should offer relief from symptoms of abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating/flatulence and complete evacuation and also possess minimum side effects. Peppermint oil has emerged as a good option since almost half of the participating doctors feel that it is effective in relieving abdominal pain, gas, bloating and fecal urgency through its selective effect on the smooth muscles of the intestine.

Speaking about the need to raise awareness Dr KK Aggarwal – President HCFI  said, “A simple mantra that everyone must remember is that if there is no pain, it can’t be IBS. Raising awareness about the disease incidence is key. ”

There is an unmet need in the treatment of IBS, as despite the wide variety and effective treatments available, most patients do not get appropriate treatment. More widespread knowledge and proper use of available therapies (such as diet restriction and peppermint oil) will enable both the physicians as well as patients in achieving a better quality of life and relief from symptoms.

Some interesting insights from the patient survey include the following.

·         84.6% said that pain in abdomen and altered bowel habits cannot be ignored

·         58.3% people self-treat symptoms with over-the-counter drugs

·         33.3% feel that the condition is not serious enough to contact a doctor

·         8.3% would seek no treatment at all

·         46% say IBS hampers their daily life

·         50% of them said they would take multiple drugs including antibiotics, antispasmodics etc., each time they have an attack

·         41.6% opted for diet change or probiotics for each attack

Edelweiss Mobile Trader App to check ' Market mein kya chal raha hai '

"Apna sapna ... Money , Money",  "Money hain toh Honey hain", our dreams, our thoughts reflect in Bollywood movies. Money is on our mind all the while but how to earn it fast ... Faster ... FASTEST ... Legally and Securely?.

Our India is emerging as a Super-Power. Gone are the days when investing in Gold, Bank Deposits, House etc. were considered Best and Safe. In the Digital Age, it's necessary to invest smartly to gain maximum returns in a short period of time. India's real GDP growth rate is amongst the fastest in the world. We must align our personal progress with national development and boost Indian economy. Yes, you guessed it right, I am referring to TRADING.

Trading is the Smartest means of Investment to gain Maximum returns, if it's done studiously by understanding market scenario at the given time. What if we have the #BestTradingApp, which will provide us all relevant information about - What's happening in the market, "Market mein kya chal raha hai".

Edelweiss Mobile Trader aka #EMT app is the highest rated trading app on Android & IOS in India. 

1. Speed, Stability and Simplicity are the basic principles of this app. 

2. We can customize the watch list to monitor our favourite stocks, track  investments and live PnL across asset classes with detailed reporting.

3. One step simplified login.

4. Pull the Bull : Access from anywhere in the app to view live information about Nifty ,Sensex, USDINR along with SGX Nifty.

5. Three taps to complete an order on the app.

6. Exclusive Stock recommendations along with detailed report from the Edelweiss research team.

7. It's absolutely FREE to use and No nuisance of advertisements.

Constructive and well meaning feedback helps create a holistic experience for the app users. #EMT gets 700 feedback mails/SMSes from users daily and all this feedback is reviewed daily. User inputs are most important. Major part of the development and enhancements in the #EMT app are outcomes of user feedback.

Trading is no longer a men-domain. According to a recent study women are fast emerging a major force in this arena. Few years ago only my father was interested in Trading, but recently my sister has started Trading and discussing market with father. 

@i_RahulJain, Head of Personal Wealth Advisory, addressed us about the #IndiasGrowthStory, future of Indian Equity Market and more.

On this unique and progressive background , Edelweiss.in arranged a Finance &; Technology bloggers meet on 3rd April 2018. We got the first hand opportunity to understand the key features of the #Edelweiss Mobile Trader - the #BestTradingApp which has gained India's highest rated 4.4 Google app rating.

We learnt numerous nuances of #EMT through Demo of app, Presentation and Q&A session. #EdelweissMobileTrader is a new-age, Super Speedy, simple to use, Stable , Equity & Commodity mobile trading app for Android and iOS. It empowers us to track and trade across Equity, Equity Derivatives, Commodity, Currency Derivatives, NCDs, Bonds, Debt and e-SIP across NSE, BSE, MCX and NCDEX.

#EMT app is awarded for the 'Best use of Mobile technology in Financial Services' by ET NOW BFSI Awards. 'Best use of Mobile technology in financial services' by ABP News BFSI Awards.

You may check out the app here   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details…

Please follow the #BestTradingApp on Facebook and Twitter - @edelweissonline

LinkedIn – Edelweiss Wealth Management

#SayYesToTheWorld and Explore Better

                                          

" Look at those twinkling stars. They dazzle the whole Galaxy with their glitter & shimmer. One day , I am sure , you will shine with equal brilliance. Say 'Yes' and the World will be your's ". Some nights were precious , when my father would promise me the whole World with it's galaxy. He is a master story-teller.

My father used to recite the same old story of Gulbakaavli ( Arabic folklore classic from ' One Thousand and One Nights '), with a new & improved twist, every Saturday night in an exhilarating manner. The prince, the hero of the story sacrifices the luxurious, palatial life in search of an unique, rare, mysterious flower named Gulbakaavli, which is the only Elixir to save king's, his blind father's eye sight. 

PC : Sujata Tawde. This picture is for illustration purpose only

Prince's near & dear ones try to dissuade him from venturing  out in the strange , unknown and unpredictable world. Brave heart  prince is uber optimist as well as confident. He believes that the people all over the World are as good as him. Love & Peace can win the trust of all and conquer evils. In the quest of Gulbakaavli , the prince explores the whole world , endures lots of  hardships, fights numerous demons, witches & evil forces , says yes to the world , makes many friends , utilizes his intellect to overpower the mighty guardians of Gulbakaavli. Finally he succeeds in winning the Gulbakaavli. The omnipotent Gulbakaavli saves his Father's , King's eyesight  and they live happily ever after ... ' 

Well, that was just the story line. My father made that story utterly enticing  by describing the prince's adventures in many countries. How the open minded prince wins friends in foreign countries with sign languages, were the sub plots  with juicy details. Father would glamorize, the novelties such as food , clothes , houses , traditions , festivals & Marvels of each & every country explored by the prince. The nuances of all famous places in those foreign countries transported me magically in those wonderlands. 

Sitting in father's cozy lap, gazing dreamily at the sparkling galaxy, I traveled the whole world with none other than the prince himself, galloping pillion on his Arabian Ferrari of a horse.

Ok, So Gulbakaavli was the story , I grew up on. But alas! the real life is not all that pretty cool like Gulbakaavli ka phool.  Here goes the real life story of what opened up my mind and shaped my personality.

Those were the days, when I was an ambitious school girl. Very few of my classmates had penfriends and that too either from USA or UK. Oh yes, these two countries were teacher's pet too. I loved writing hearty, joyous letters on designer-papers to my fashionista, French pen friend Fleur. I used to show off her letters to my class mates and bask in the glory of their envious praises. But ... I had hidden another pen friend, actually his letters from my class mates. 

Yes, I know some of you , smart Alex might have guessed it right. Abdul was from Qatar. My letters to him were crisp & brief. Exactly like school's time- table and progress-report. I hardly ever wrote anything interesting to him. I mostly complained about long school hours, strict teachers , boring subjects, tiring sports and less marks in Mathematics. I always used plain papers for these 'dry-cry-baby' letters. 

Even though it cost lesser to post letters  to Qatar than to France, I wrote almost the double number of letters to Fleur with stickers, greeting cards and photographs attached to them. I never sent or received any photograph from Abdul. He reciprocated my letters in size and numbers but the contents of his letters were always positive and encouraging. He would even admonish me , if I didn't participate in Sports, Debates and any such extra-curricular activity. 

You must be wondering , why did I write to him about it in the first place ?. Well , in my sub conscious mind , I knew that I was not participating cause I was lazy and feared losing. I needed to confess , to burden off  my heart by opening up my mind to someone whom I had never met , who would never judge me. Well then why I chose Abdul over Fleur ?. Simple , I admired Fleur. I was absolutely floored by  Fleur's   beauty & poise. How could I disclose my dark secrets to her. ? Won't she hate me and stop writing letters. Abdul on the other hand was a safe option. I cared a fig if he hated me or stopped writing altogether. 

Being almost 8 years older than me, Abdul took upon the mantle of an elder brother which I never had. He always insisted on studying regularly, solving mathematical problems consistently, mugging up poems , formulas and definitions. Additionally he expected me to win medals in Sports & Debates too. Slowly but steadily, I  understood his benevolent attitude. Well , I could not fulfill all his wishes but encouraged by his constant motivation, I stopped procrastinating. I started getting up early, which provided me more time to study and play. Most importantly I realized that if we open up our minds , we can be better to ourselves and to the whole world, which is spectacular with many countries such as  France, India, Qatar and many more. Come , join me on this wonderful journey and #SayYesToTheWorld with Lufthansa

McDonald’s “The Good Food Story”

McDonald’s  strengthens its commitment to customers through “The Good Food Story”

Announces re-engineering of its menu to make food more wholesome and nutritious

Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd (HRPL) is in an exciting phase in India with new store formats, digital interventions and menu innovations. Business has been on an upswing with 10 consecutive quarters of positive same store sales growth. To add to this excitement, the company, master franchisee for McDonald’s restaurants in west and south India, today announced ‘The Good Food Story’ to reinforce its commitment towards promoting nutritive and wholesome food.

McDonald’s has been serving the Indian palate for the last 22 years.  Over the years, it has developed an indigenous menu completely unique to India. The brand has always been cognizant of Indian sensibilities. It has kept its vegetarian kitchen separate from the non- vegetarian kitchen. The company also does not serve pork and beef in any of its restaurants in India.

McDonald’s strength lies in its ability to continuously evolve and remain relevant to its consumers. The Good Food Story is one such journey that the company has undertaken to bring nutritious and wholesome food to them.

The food giant has developed a menu that offers a wide array of choices to suit different preferences. There is a range of high protein products that have paneer, chicken, egg and fish. McDonald’s is the only restaurant chain in the Quick Service Restaurant space in India that has a special breakfast menu. The Sausage & Egg McMuffin, Egg & Cheese McMuffin and Scrambled Eggs to give just the right start to the day.

Outside of the signature burgers and fries, the company has launched Chatpata Naan- a truly Indian delicacy with an international form. With the recent launch of rice having the goodness of bulgar, basmati rice and fresh vegetables in select markets, McDonald’s has ensured there is something for everyone. The menu also offers a plethora of sides and desserts to complete a meal. Through McCafé, it offers a range of over 30 cold and hot dairy and fruit based beverages.

Amit Jatia, Vice-Chairman of Westlife Development Limited, said, “Our customers are increasingly adopting healthier lifestyles and trust brands that behave responsibly and transparently, especially when it comes to food options. Our goal has always been to build a better McDonald’s by making little changes that add up to a big difference. All modifications in ‘The Good Food Story’ have been a result of over three years of persistent re-engineering of our products just so that we could offer  more wholesome and balanced food choices to our customers at a great value.”

This part of the company’s Good Food journey is what customer will be able to see in stores. But there is another path that the company has taken to ensure nothing but the best is served to its consumers.

·         Sodium across fries, nuggets, patties and sauces has been reduced by over 20%. Limiting sodium intake is good for health

·         Oil content in mayonnaise has been reduced by 40%, making it the first ever low-fat mayo in the Indian Quick Service Restaurant industry. This has brought down fat content by up to 25% in its products resulting in calorie reduction by up to 11%

The result of these changes has been that the iconic McAloo Tikki Burger is now a balanced meal, in that it has the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat as recommended in the guidelines issued by the National Institution of Nutrition or NIN

• The other flagship product McVeggie Burger too, has the right balance of carbs and proteins. The patty has goodness of five vegetables

·         McDonald’s patties are 100% artificial preservative-free. While the patties never had artificial colour and flavour, they are now completely free of  any artificial preservatives 

·         The patties have been fortified with natural dietary fibre to make them wholesome. This also helps reduce oil absorption. The dietary fibre content in our flagship patties has gone up by as much as 20-25%

• All wraps are now whole grain. Refined flour wraps have been replaced with whole grain wraps to increase their nutritional value
• Soft Serve is made of 100% milk and is 96% fat-free. It nonetheless retains its richness and mouthfeel that is expected of it

Commenting on this initiative by Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd Dr JS Pai, Executive Director, Protein Foods & Nutrition Development Association of India said, “The overall lifestyle of Indians is changing as many of them are leading a sedentary life with very little physical activity. This may cause obesity and deficiency of essential nutrients. It is a good step that restaurants are now offering food choices with better nutritional profile which are richer in protein and dietary fibre as well as  lower in fat and sodium. This along with nutritional awareness will go a long way in ensuring a healthy lifestyle.”

Dr Nilesh Amritkar, Managing Director, Envirocare Labs Pvt. Ltd added that, “It is indeed good to know that fast foods can be health positive. I think this is a good effort and will have a positive impact on the food industry.”

Naaznin Husein, President, Mumbai Chapter of the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA) said, “Reducing salt and overall sodium content of the products are small yet significant steps initiated by McDonald’s. The effort taken to re-engineer their food towards a healthy shift is a good initiative. Using technology innovations to reduce overall fat content may be a sustainable solution towards responsible nutrition.

As Indians, majority of our population is protein-deficient. In the future, more concentration could also be placed on increasing protein in all products. The steamed egg is a great value-add. Healthier choices like wraps, steamed eggs and other such options should be added to the basket of products. Lastly but most importantly, portion control is important. Also, a takeaway message is that these foods are ’sometimes’ food and should not replace every day healthy balanced meals.”

For HRPL, nutrition and wholesomeness is not a ‘tick box’. The company has worked on products across the board to make them better. Food is like technology, ever evolving and McDonald’s promise is to keep changing and responding to its customers to give them the best experience. This by no means is the end, the company will continue this journey and come back with more of what its consumers want!

Experience the goodness of McDonald’s wholesome food at a restaurant near you!