Tag: trends

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Oh no. Ketchup again.

Do not put ketchup over everything you eat. Please treat it like it should be  treated – like a base.
by Rakshit Doshi

The single worst invention of mankind, in my opinion, is ketchup. There, now I have offended 1.2 billion people who can’t live without it. But it’s true.

We are conditioned to add ketchup to anything western – pizza, pasta, bread, sandwich, burger… some people even mix it with (I’m cringing as I type this) daal and rice! Without understanding its taste or purpose, its use is lethal.

In case you didn’t know, ketchup came from the far east Asian culture of salted/pickled fish that was used as an accompaniment (the Malay word for the sauce was kĕchap). Today, it is essentially tomatoes cooked with salt and a large quantity of vinegar, which is what makes it sour. Then there is sugar and an assortment of spices, the use of which depends on the maker. It can have even onion, garlic, oregano, the sky is the limit.

What ketchup can be used for is a base for sauces – like a lazy man’s Arrabbiata can begin with ketchup, or maybe when you want to cook up a quick dip for those potato wedges.

I guess I was a little harsh on ketchup at the beginning of this piece, but hey, I stand by my opinion on how we use it. So the next time you handle that bottle, check if you really need it. Okay? Okay.

Rakshit Doshi writes for broadcast media to earn his bread and butter but also is a foodie who loves to make a fat club sandwich of it.

 

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Security beyond hotel buildings and guest rooms

Post 26/11, security levels in city hotels are changing. They now factor in contingency plans to deal with terrorism too.
by Mehernosh Pithawalla

The whole concept of security at star hotels is undergoing a paradigm shift today. Earlier it was only about guarding property, whereas now, there is additional focus on fire safety, operational security, guest and employee security, as well as the need for contingency plans to deal with terrorist threats and abnormal crisis situations.

Security officers have to think beyond the buildings and guest rooms. Total security plans have to be drawn up to cover the perimeters, guard rooms, the gardens, illumination, all entry points, reception facilities, vulnerable equipment and power facilities, the regular staff and those of suppliers and contractors, and maintenance of the intrusion and fire detection systems. One of the top 10 global issues and challenges in the hospitality industry is the uncertainty in safety and security.

We do come across incidents of how hotels are coming under threat by anti-social elements. Due to this increased vulnerability, hotels are also now beefing up their security systems. Travellers are also now more aware and more concerned about their safety. Hotels are now looking at more than just CCTVs, alarm systems and swipe cards for security. Technology is opening new doors to hotel safety, and the way we navigate hotels is set to change in the near future. Improved biometric systems, RFID cards, CCTVs with enhanced features are all security products that have become more advanced and more sensitive to impending threats.

The awareness in this category is considerably rising, due to the terrorist attacks we witnessed in Mumbai (in 2008) and the hotel bombings we read about in other countries. The hospitality industry is now beginning to take proactive measures to curb security threats. However, I would still say that it is still at a very nascent stage and the industry has just about started to look at security beyond basic CCTVs and alarm systems. What is indisputable is that hotels now need to invest more in security of their premises and their customers to give them peace of mind. However, the problem is that unlike their western counterparts, the biggest hurdle faced in the Indian hotel industry is the monetary investment, time and effort to upgrade their security systems.

Mehernosh Pithawalla is the Assistant Vice President, Marketing, Godrej Security Solutions.

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Offers we can’t refuse

Indian shoppers are making a beeline for offers and bulk buying to save money. Mumbai shows 24% growth in modern trade.
By The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

Rising inflation, prices of essential commodities going up almost weekly, and incessant price shocks arising from increasing fuel prices, have all combined to put the Indian shopper to try and save as much money as he can. Naturally, shoppers are zeroing in on bulk buying and discounts like never before.

In a survey conducted recently by AC Nielsen India, titled ‘Understanding India’s new breed of shoppers’, the surveyors found an appreciable “uptick in deal-seeking behaviour, over half of shoppers (surveyed) now seek promotions.” The survey also reveals that a third of Indian shoppers choose bulk packs of commodities to beat the price rise.

Big deal

“The proportion of shoppers actively seeking offers in the stores they frequent has shot up from 39 per cent (in 2010) to 54 per cent, marking a sudden affinity for promotions at a time when shoppers are price-sensitive and retailers have succeeded in creating ‘deal-weeks’ as annual events that cater to a growing breed of bargain seekers,” the survey report says.

“An estimated one in six rupees spent on FMCG products is spent on items that are on offer. These offers may vary in nature and entice shoppers with additional volume for the same price, price discounts, ‘kind offers’ such as free gifts or a combination of these promotional tactics.

Shifting to modern trade outlets

Another interesting statistic is that Indian shoppers are rapidly making the shift from traditional shopping models (such as the neighbourhood kirana shop) to modern trade outlets such as hyper- and super-markets. Mumbai alone has seen a staggering jump in this trend – in the 2010-2011 survey period, our city showed a 24 per cent jump in modern trade growth. Mumbai was one of 17 key markets surveyed by AC Nielsen, and these markets constitute three-fourth of India’s modern trade sales.

“A comparison of long-term trends and a study of shopper behaviour reveals that the number of shoppers who visit Modern Trade (outlets) on a regular basis has doubled over a five-year period. And they are not simply strolling through the air-conditioned aisles – they are purchasing more than ever before as well. Today, about 21 per cent shoppers claim they spend more at Modern Trade than traditional trade, compared to 12 per cent five years ago,” the report says.

The Diarist is always on the lookout for new business trends. If you’ve noticed any unusual activity or have a statistic to share, write to thediarist@themetrognome.in.   

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Trends

More men use smartphones than women

Pic courtesy surfmobee.com

Study finds interesting correlations between smartphone usage and education, gender; North India leads in overall usage

by The Diarist/ thediarist@themetrognome.in

Yes, smartphones are in. And a recent study tells us exactly how in and why.

A recently-published study, ‘Smartphone incidence in urban India’ across the country by AC-Nielsen, conducted in the first quarter of this year, reveals some surprising truths about how the nation is using its smartphones. While North India leads the smartphone race, with one in every 10 being the owner of a smartphone (11 per cent incidence as per sample size), West India has an eight per cent incidence of usage. The East and South India account for six per cent usage.

What’s more, the study says, ‘While one out of every 10 men owns a smartphone, the figure is less than half for women’.

Another interesting statistic we found was that, as per the report, ‘those who have completed post-graduation in a professional stream are most likely to acquire and use a smartphone. 17 per cent fall in this category, while the figure is 12 per cent for those who are still in college.’

The stats for usage patterns are also illuminating:

– 87% use it for online searches

– 80% use it for social networking

– 72% chat and use webmail

– 59% stream videos, maps and navigation

– 30% use it for banking, travel and shopping

– 25% use it for mobile TV

There are a staggering 27 million mobile users in the country, of which nine per cent are smartphone users.

The Diarist is always on the lookout for trends in business and technology. If you have an insight to share, write to thediarist@themetrognome.in.

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