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The pickles market has been on the rise in recent years as investment from various large brands along with individual initiatives in this business has turned it into a separate industrial sector.
This market started expanding back in 2005 when several brands began investing in this sector. After one and a half decades, the country is now producing and marketing pickles worth Tk 200 crore annually.
In the beginning, only small entrepreneurs used to make pickles and sold them in known circles but now many big companies have ventured into this to capture the commercial market.
Despite a few hitches, the sector is attracting new entrepreneurs every year and expanding the market by 15-20 per cent. The popularity of locally made pickles has also crossed borders and they are being exported nowadays to different countries.
Normally, traders said, people from the middle and upper classes buy the pickle jars of known brands as they prioritise certification by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). That’s why pickles of these companies sell more.
According to different companies and traders, around 7,500 tonnes of pickles are produced and marketed around the country every year and their market price would be more than Tk 200 crore.
Different branded companies occupy the lion’s share of this market as they produce and market pickles worth Tk 160-170 crore around the year, according to entrepreneurs.
The sector’s biggest benefit is that 100 per cent of raw materials needed to produce pickles are locally available. The key ingredients include mango, jujube, tamarind, elephant apple, olive, garlic, chilli, and mustard oil. Only a handful of ingredients, including sweet plum or Aloo Bukhara, are imported but that is still a small amount.
Talking to The Business Post, Square Food and Beverage Limited Assistant Manager (Marketing) MA Mahmud said that pickle is a delicious food/snack that attracts people from all classes and ages. “Pickles also have nutritional values. So it’s easy to see why its market keeps growing.”
He said that their company currently produces and sells 400-450 tonnes of pickles of six types. Some of them are exported to some Middle Eastern countries where Bangladeshi expatriates are the main buyers.
“We do have a few challenges. We have to preserve the key ingredients, including seasonal fruits like mango and olive, around the year. Apart from this, there is no major obstacle. That’s why the pickles business will expand further in future,” he added.
Brands and prices
Market visits showed that around 15 to 20 companies currently produce and sell pickles and they include PRAN, Square, ACI, BD Food, Ahmed Food, Acme, Afia, Kishan, Khushbu and Khaas Food.
They sell pickles in glass jars of 200 grams to 1 kilogram. Among them, 400-gram jars are the most popular as they appear to be affordable at the right weight and price for most people, traders said.
Every company generally makes five to six types of pickles of different tastes, including sour, sweet and spicy. Some companies also make five to 10 types. Mango, olive, jujube, elephant apple, garlic, chilli and mixed pickles are the most popular ones.
Moreover, another five to 10 types of pickles including amla, lemon and elephant wood apple are also available in the market. Loose pickles of different types made by small entrepreneurs can also be found at various shops, super-shops and floating shops.
Many small entrepreneurs sell pickles among known people and through online platforms as well. Some of them showcase their different types of pickles at handicraft and cottage industry fairs.
The prices of pickle jars of the corporate brands are high compared to the other ones.
A 400-gram jar of mango or olive pickle of different brands is sold between Tk 130 and Tk 150, and a 1-kg jar of mango pickle costs Tk 400.
A 400-gram jar of garlic pickle costs around Tk 180-210, a 350-gram jar of jujube pickle Tk 120-130, and a 400-gram jar of Aloo Bukhara pickle costs Tk 300-350.
Also, 400-gram jars of elephant apple, chilli, amla and other pickles are available at Tk 145-160. The 1-kg jars of these pickles cost Tk 400-500.
Problems for small entrepreneurs
Although the pickle market has become quite large, it still has various challenges. There are still many obstacles that small entrepreneurs have to overcome to make a mark.
Many such entrepreneurs quit soon after launching their businesses due to the difficulties they face while getting a trade licence or during the marketing and selling of their products.
They have urged the government and authorities concerned to take steps to provide them with the necessary support and help them excel in this growing sector.
Farhana Faruq Naz of Rajshahi owns Cooking Garden. She was one of the awardees at the national pickle competition organised by PRAN.
She told The Business Post, “Many small entrepreneurs like us are unable to go for commercial production due to different issues including BSTI’s large licence fee.”
Besides, the preservation of raw ingredients and product marketing are also big challenges. These issues lead many entrepreneurs to fall behind and give up, she said.
“I make pickles since 2010. I started my food and pickles business at a small level in 2014. I had tried to go for commercial production but failed. Now I only make pickles if anyone orders,” she added.
