Classification
Product TypeProcessed Food
Product FormPowder (Dry Mix)
Industry PositionValue-added Food Preparation
Market
Custard powder in India is a shelf-stable, starch-based dessert mix sold through both household retail and foodservice channels, with vanilla as a common base flavour and multiple flavour variants marketed locally. Key brands with active India-market presence include Weikfield and Brown & Polson (Unilever Food Solutions India). Products are positioned as eggless/vegetarian dessert bases for Indian dessert applications (e.g., fruit custard, kulfi, falooda) and are available year-round as packaged dry mixes. For imports, India applies FSSAI’s Food Import Clearance System (FICS) with document scrutiny, inspection, sampling/testing, and NOC/NCR outcomes, while label compliance is governed by FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations.
Market RoleDomestic production-led consumer and foodservice market (packaged dessert mix) with regulated import clearance for imported brands
Domestic RolePackaged dessert-mix staple used in home kitchens and HORECA for eggless/vegetarian custard-based desserts and fillings
Market Growth
SeasonalityYear-round availability as a shelf-stable, packaged dry mix; demand can peak seasonally around festivals and catering cycles but production/availability is not harvest-season constrained.
Specification
Primary VarietyVanilla (flavour variant used as a base custard profile)
Secondary Variety- Mango
- Butterscotch
- Strawberry
- Kesar Pista
Physical Attributes- Fine, free-flowing powder designed to disperse in milk with minimal lumping (brand performance claim; verify per SKU)
- Yellow colour appearance in vanilla-style variants commonly achieved via permitted synthetic colours (brand-declared where used)
Packaging- Retail packs (small consumer units; format varies by brand)
- Foodservice/institutional packs (e.g., 1 kg; some brands offer multiple bulk SKUs)
Supply Chain
Value Chain- Starch and minor ingredients sourcing (e.g., maize starch, salt, flavour/colour) → dry blending → sifting/foreign-matter control → packing → distributor/wholesaler → retail and HORECA kitchens
Temperature- Ambient distribution; protect from moisture and heat to prevent caking and flavour degradation (dry product handling discipline)
Atmosphere Control- Keep packs sealed; after opening, store in airtight containers to protect against moisture uptake (common handling guidance for powders)
Shelf Life- Long shelf life typical for dry mixes; Brown & Polson custard powder indicates 23 months shelf life (brand-provided)
Freight IntensityMedium
Transport ModeMultimodal
Risks
Regulatory Compliance HighFor imported custard powder consignments, non-compliance with FSSAI labeling and/or applicable standards can trigger rejection (NCR) or extended holds during FSSAI FICS inspection, sampling and testing, disrupting market entry timelines and increasing demurrage/storage exposure.Run a pre-shipment India-label compliance review (including ingredient/additive declarations) and ensure the FICS prerequisite document set (IEC, FSSAI import license, COO, label specimen, ingredient list, invoices/packing list, and COA where applicable) matches the BoE submission before arrival.
Food Additives MediumCustard powders may use permitted synthetic colours and added flavouring substances; errors in additive selection, limit compliance, or declaration wording can create non-conformance risk under India’s food additive and labeling rules.Validate additive permissibility and declarations against the Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations and ensure label declarations explicitly list colour/additive identifiers and flavouring as required for the specific SKU.
Logistics MediumIf imported, lead times and landed cost are sensitive to port congestion, sampling/testing turnaround and clearance workflow timing under FSSAI FICS, which can delay distribution into time-bound retail and catering programs.Plan buffer lead times for FICS referral scenarios, use experienced CHAs, and align shelf-life remaining and documentation readiness to reduce rework during inspection/testing.
Sustainability MediumPackaged custard powder sold in plastic formats can create compliance exposure under India’s EPR regime for plastic packaging for producers/importers/brand owners placing packaged goods on the market.Confirm PIBO obligations, register and report as required on the CPCB EPR framework, and align packaging choices and recycling obligations with the applicable EPR category.
Sustainability- Plastic packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance risk for producers/importers/brand owners placing packaged custard powder on the Indian market (registration and target compliance under Plastic Waste Management Rules EPR Guidelines).
Labor & Social- Consumer trust and compliance risk from misleading claims or incomplete disclosures on packaged dessert mixes (e.g., vegetarian/eggless claims, additive declarations) under India’s labeling rules.
FAQ
What documents are commonly required to import custard powder into India?For food imports referred to FSSAI, common prerequisites include an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) from DGFT and an FSSAI import license. The FICS importer FAQ also lists documents such as a Country of Origin certificate, ingredient list, specimen label copy, invoice/proforma invoice, packing list, and (for sea consignments) the Bill of Lading referenced in the Bill of Entry; a Certificate of Analysis is required in certain cases (e.g., proprietary foods).
How does India clear imported packaged foods like custard powder at the border?FSSAI describes that when Customs refers a consignment for food clearance, it undergoes scrutiny of documents, visual inspection, sampling and lab testing to check conformity with Indian food standards. If conforming, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is generated; if not conforming, a Non-Conforming Report (NCR) is generated.
Which additives are explicitly declared for Brown & Polson custard powder sold in India’s foodservice channel?Unilever Food Solutions India’s Brown & Polson custard powder product information states it contains permitted synthetic colours (INS 102, INS 124 and INS 110) and added flavour: artificial vanilla flavouring substances.