Cargill Honored for Excellence in Food Safety at CII Awards 2024

National, March 18, 2025: Cargill, a global leader in food and agriculture, has been recognized for Outstanding Performance and Strong Commitment in Food Safety at the 15th edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Food Safety Awards 2024. The awards, presented at a ceremony in New Delhi highlights Cargill’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest food safety standards across its operations.

The company received these recognitions in the ‘Large Manufacturing Food Businesses – Fats & Oils’ category, ‘Outstanding Performance in Food Safety’ for Kurkumbh plant in Maharashtra and ‘Strong Commitment in Food Safety’ for Kandla plant in Gujarat. This honor underscores Cargill’s dedication to stringent food safety protocols, superior quality control, and cutting-edge manufacturing practices. The award was presented by Hashmat Ali Yatoo, IAS, Commissioner of Food Safety and Drugs Administration in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Minhaj Alam, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Dr Alka Rao, Advisor – Science, Standards & Regulations Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and Ms. Kavery Ganguly, Principal Lead, CII Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence (FACE).

Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Simon George, Managing Director, Cargill Food South Asia, said, “This recognition is a reflection of our team’s unwavering commitment to food safety and quality. At Cargill, we prioritize world-class practices to ensure that our products not only meet but exceed global food safety standards. The Kurkumbh and Kandla plants are a prime example of our efforts in automation, testing, and training, which work together to provide safe, high-quality food to our consumers. We remain dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation in food safety.”

Mr. Sunil Nair, B2B Go-to-Market and R&D and Technical Services & Application Leader added, “We are proud to be recognized for our dedication to food safety excellence. The ‘Outstanding Performance in Food Safety’ Award not only highlights our rigorous standards—exemplified by the success of our Kurkumbh and Kandla plants—but also reinforces our role as a trusted partner in delivering safe, high-quality food solutions to our customers across India.”

The CII Food Safety Awards serve as a benchmark for excellence in food safety across various sectors of the food industry, including Beverages, Dairy, Bakery, Edible Oils, Ready-to-Eat Snacks, and more. The awards evaluate companies based on their adherence to rigorous food safety standards, leadership in implementing food safety measures, and compliance with regulatory and statutory guidelines. The assessment process includes detailed onsite evaluations by a team of experts, ensuring that only the best practices in food safety are recognized.

Cargill’s Commitment to Food Safety

For over 35 years, Cargill has implemented robust food safety mechanisms in India, ensuring compliance through advanced infrastructure, trained personnel, and stringent quality control processes. The Kurkumbh plant, which was the recipient of this year’s award, is a prime example of Cargill’s dedication to food safety. It features state-of-the-art infrastructure, in-house testing facilities, and automated packaging lines that minimize manual intervention, ensuring product safety at every stage.

Cargill’s Product Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Policy adheres to Indian food safety and international standards, ensuring product safety, quality, authenticity, and regulatory compliance. In addition, the company has a Continuous Improvement Production Excellence (CIPE) team that is dedicated to enhancing quality management programs and processes across all products and services. Cargill’s continuous focus on food safety has earned it multiple accolades at the CII Food Safety Awards.

In 2023, the company received two awards for ‘Significant Achievement in Food Safety’ for its Kurkumbh and Davangere plants. This year’s recognition for the Kurkumbh and Kandla plants further validates Cargill’s leadership in food safety and its continued commitment to excellence.

The CII Food Safety Award, with its emphasis on Food Safety Maturity Assessment, serves as a symbol of credibility and pride in the industry. It recognizes and celebrates the capacity-building efforts of organizations and promotes the adoption of internationally benchmarked food safety practices.

Cargill Unveils Innovative Food Solutions at AAHAR 2025

National, 5th March 2025: Highlighting its role as an innovative and trusted partner for innovation and growth for the Indian food industry, at AAHAR 2025, Cargill showcased its diverse range of applications and products with a focus on the indulgence categories such as snacks, bakery, confectionery, dairy and ice cream, catering to the evolving preferences of Indian consumers who are increasingly health- and value-conscious yet unwilling to compromise on taste and experience.

Re-emphasizing the theme of “The whole world of possibilities,” this year, Cargill booth was inaugurated today by Simon George, Country President and Managing Director, Cargill Food South Asia along with Tarak Bhattacharya, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Over Donuts.

Showcasing the versatility and unique applications of products in the Cargill portfolio, Cargill’s Corporate Chef Anip Kumar and team conducted live demonstrations at the Cargill AAHAR booth, whipping up Millet Cookies, Berry Fudge, and Sourdough Chips recipes, amongst heavy footfall from visitors. In total, over 50 chef-curated baked applications were on display over the course of the exhibition.

“We are excited to deliver comprehensive solutions that empower our customers to grow their business through innovative products and cost-efficient solutions and at the same time, connecting consumers to the nutrition they need and food they love, building a more food secure world. Through AAHAR, we aim to strengthen our partnerships and reinforce Cargill’s position as a trusted food solutions provider in the industry,” said Simon George, Country President and Managing Director, Cargill Food South Asia

Innovative Functional Blends

Cargill is showcasing its unique and innovative functional blends for snacks, bakery, confectionery, dairy and ice cream industries for the first time for Indian B2B players at AAHAAR 2025. Designed to enhance product quality, taste, and performance across multiple categories and diverse requirements. These product innovations include:

  • First of its kind dent corn-based modified starch which helps create brighter color and appearance in sauces, enhancing the sensorial acceptability of fresh tomato aroma and smooth taste and texture.
  • A cost-effective pectin replacer that can be an effective substitute for expensive pectin used in gummies and jellies, catering to the value conscious consumers
  • Other innovations like bake-stable filling that provides optimum flowability and superior mouthfeel post baking, starch based functional systems that adds crispiness in snacks and reduces oil absorption during frying, functional systems for ice creams and frozen desserts that reduces ice crystal growth during storage, improves melting properties, limits shrinkage and enhances overall sensorial acceptability.

Cost-Saving Zone

Cargill also featured a dedicated Cost-Saving Solutions Zone at its booth at AAHAR this year, where visitors explored innovative product alternatives like cookies made with NatureFresh[1] Professional Elite Choice. These solutions are designed to help Indian bakers reduce production and ingredient costs while maintaining superior product quality and taste, ensuring customer delight in the evolving food landscape.

New launches

Cargill presented a range of new products for both B2B and B2C segments this year, including:

  • Gemini Plus Trans Fat-Free Vanaspati – Recently launched in Kerala, Trans Fat-Free Vanaspati is developed for HORECA users, a game-changer that is allowing the preparation of the most delectable Biriyanis, Sweets (Laddoos), and Parottas.
  • NatureFresh Professional Elite Choice – A premium aerated Cookie Fat NatureFresh Professional Elite Choice provides better yield and saves costs due to its high flour absorption capacity of up to 10%.
  • NatureFresh Professional Lite – A butter-flavored vegetable fat designed for exotic bakery applications such as croissants, Danish pastries, and brownies. It is 100% vegetarian and Argemone oil-free.

The booth served as a dynamic platform for chefs, bakers, foodservice brands, small traders, MNCs, and customers, offering an immersive experience into Cargill’s innovative product portfolio and global food expertise. Additionally, Cargill offered visitors a half-day immersive R&D session at the Cargill Innovation Center (CIC) in Gurgaon from the 5th to the 7th of March. This initiative provided an exclusive opportunity to witness firsthand how science and insights drive food innovation at Cargill.

Through AAHAR 2025, Cargill reaffirmed its commitment to the Indian food industry, delivering cutting-edge products and solutions that combine innovation, quality, and sustainability. Through its extensive product portfolio and customer-centric approach, Cargill continues to empower food businesses with the expertise they need to thrive in this ever evolving and competitive market landscape.