Samayal

Syndicated study on food habits in Urban Indian household :​

Research Background

For urban Indians, food choices and preferences are diverse and dynamic. The culinary landscape is symbiotic with social interactions, cultural experiences, tradition and convenience.

With lifestyles and multicultural aspects influencing what Indians eat, we at Elastic Tree see the dining table as a dipstick of the changing and the unchanging, of unifying threads and diversity, and a symbolic celebration of everything Indian.  

We named the study “Samayal” – the Tamil word for cooking.

The data and insights from this study can help you:

• Establish a baseline and understand the diversity in eating habits across a significant sample of Urban Indian households.

• Understand ‘Table Share’ of RTE/RTC foods, and possible opportunities in that space.

• Explore what urban Indian households are cooking at home, what they are eating and when.

Research Objectives:

• Gain a robust understanding of the diverse food habits in India. To do this, we took on an exhaustive list of recipes and preparation options that India has to offer and made it insightful

• Gather meal-wise information on recipes consumed at different times at home.

• Understand differences in dining habits and perceptions toward convenience food.

• Help marketers and new product development teams understand potential homemade recipes ready for RTE/RTC upgrade.

Research Design:

Markets: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata

Random Sampling: Each market was divided into 4-5 zones, with an equal sample spread achieved from each zone.

Consumption Occasions: 1 Day (Morning till Night- All Occasions)

Length of the interview: 25-40 mins

Fieldwork Period: November 2023 to January 2024

Sample size: 1814 Interviews in 6 markets

INFORMATION AREAS

RECIPE / DISH LEVEL

• Dish or Item Name

• Veg or Non-Veg Dish

• Mealtime - Before Breakfast, Breakfast, mid-morning, Lunch, Evening Snacks, Dinner, After Dinner, Midnight.

• Type - Main dish, Side dish, snack, salad or Beverage

• Frequency of consumption – Multiple times in a day, Every day, 4-6 times, 2-3 times, Once a week, less often etc

• Place of Consumption (Home or Packed)

• Source of Preparation - Homemade, RTE, RTC, Takeaway, Online App

• For Homemade

  • Made fresh, or from a previous meal

  • The extent of effort to make the dish. (4-Point Scale)

  • Prefer Homemade vs. Like it in RTE/RTC format

DEMOGRAPHICS

• Family structure -  Total No. of Household Members and Age profile

• Socio-Economic Classification

• Veg vs. Non-veg

• Who prepared the food? Who influences?

• Source of the recipe – mother, self, recipe books/blogs/ videos

• Mother tongue

• Kitchen appliances – LPG, induction Stove Type / OTG / Microwave/ Juicer/ Batter Grinder /Food processor/ Dishwasher/ Air Fryer etc.

Some Interesting Insights