Sugar Company launches innovative 'sugar ships' at Gulfood

The Ugar Sugar Works (USW), a company manufacturing white crystal sugar for over 65 years, has launched an innovative concept named 'Filmi Shakkar' in the food industry at the Gulfood Exhibition.

As a fun alternative to the traditional sugar cubes that instantly sink into beverages, the new sugar ships float for about 15 seconds creating a playful element to a variety of beverages. Apart from the floating quality, the ships come in an array of preferred flavours such as rose, hazelnut, vanilla, cardamom and rum as well as in different colours lending themselves as edible decorations or playful candies at children's parties.

Niraj Shirgaokar, Vice President of USW stated that this novel product was manufactured in a new high tech unit powered by German technology and accredited with universally accepted food standard world wide ISO 22000. He said that the product had been successfully launched in Europe where the hospitality industry, restaurant chains, grocery and convenience stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets had welcomed the product.

The variety of convenient packaging had also contributed to its success including hexagonal master cartons with pop up handles, convenient pouches and boat shaped display type boxes. Explaining the reasons behind its fun name 'Filmi Shakkar' Shirgaokar said its multi-colored hues allowed it to be used as decorations on cakes, pastries, energizing candies for children, or generally imparting a festive atmosphere to any party or function. Due to its fun floating attribute, the product was akin in its own miniscule measure to the entertainment element in films.

USW is the flagship organization of Shirgaokar Group of Companies, a diversified group with an annual turnover of the over $133m. The company has set its sights on the Middle East region after inking a distributor agreement with Falco.

Shirgaokar beamed: 'We are confident that this region will take on 'Filmi Shakkar' with verve. Launching it at Gulfood was a strategic decision as this is a trade event providing an ideal B2B platform. Food, kitchen and catering companies from across the world showcase their products and equipment to potential buyers conducting direct face to face business. Last year alone, this industry event recorded 39,000 trade visitors. The Ugar Sugar Works looks forward to meeting and signing deals with potential buyers of 'Filmi Shakkar' at this trade event.'

USW has already inked deals in the UAE with Spinneys, Geant Hypermarket-IBN Batutta Mall, United Hypermarket-Deira, Ansar Mall-Sharjah, Union Co-operative Society and Hyper Panda. By 2010-2011, the company is expected to achieve a milestone of exceeding 20,000 TCD (tonnes per day) crushing capacity.