They say food is the ingredient that binds us all together, and this is certainly the philosophy Geeta’s at Chineham Park adopts. They’re spreading their passion for Indian flavours as the UK’s market leader of branded chutneys. A family business founded in the early 90’s by Geeta Samtani and her husband to share their love of Indian flavours, the business is now looking to change consumers’ perceptions about what its products can deliver for everyday cuisine.
Leadership and Expertise
We caught up with David Page, Non-Executive Director for Geeta’s and a food retail guru, knowing all there is to know about the Indian food business and developing brands. He ran Patak Foods for nearly 20 years, and since then, Jamie Oliver’s retail branded business, amongst others.
Must-Try Products
If you’ve never come across Geeta’s before, you really need to. Their Premium Mango Chutney is a must-have, and they’ve now started to tantalise our taste buds with more contemporary combinations such as Pomegranate and Mango chutney and Tomato and Chilli sauce.
Vision and Innovation
“We want to elevate the status of authentic Indian food above a weekly curry to combine flavours with everyday dishes such as mango and Greek yoghurt potato salad or cheese & mango chutney toastie,” says David.
“In India, every family has its own masala mix, which is made up of between 10 and 20 spices. This is used as a base for all their dishes. We are taking these flavours and helping people be more adventurous with them. Our new Five Seed and Sweet Onion & Paprika rotis are a perfect alternative to wraps.”
Product Expansion
To support this vision, they’ve launched 30 new products and seven new product lines, from heat ‘n’ eat sides to seasoning mixes and squeezy sauces. These will be the stars of a new £1.5 million advertising campaign featuring a refreshed brand identity using the vibrant Indian turquoise and red colours established in 2013 and more sustainable packaging solutions to appeal to an environmentally conscious new audience.
Growth Plans
Geeta’s current owners, Harshad Patel and his family, are looking to double the business every 3 years as part of a 5 year growth plan, and currently year two is in progress.
Strategic Location
The vast majority of products are made in the company’s factory in Surat, in the Gujarat region, and Harshad and his family live in Antwerp, which is why Chineham Park offers such an excellent location for them for its international business activities.
“We’re 45 minutes from Heathrow and one hour from the centre of London, so it’s easy to fly into the UK and be in the office in no time. I also live in East Devon,” adds David.
“So it’s a very convenient two-hour commute on the train. I work remotely quite a bit but on office days I can be in the office first thing and be home by about eight o’clock.”
“I looked at quite a few business parks in Basingstoke,” said David, “However Chineham Park was by far the best available and reflects the family values we have within the business for employee wellbeing and sustainability.”
Team and Community
“Being an HR director originally, I’ve always understood the importance of people and working as a team. We find Chineham’s owners, Frasers Property, very responsive and approachable. The asset manager, Chris Stevens, has been a real pleasure to deal with.”
Employing 15 people currently, in sales, marketing, new product development, supply chain, logistics and finance. Geetas changed its business model some 12 months ago, bringing all its key business activities in-house. Geetas anticipate increasing headcount by about a third over the next two to three years.
When you walk around the office – which underwent a family blessing at a welcome day preceded over by owners Harshad and his wife, Manisha – you can tell they’re a close-knit company and their people enjoy being part of Geeta’s. They also enjoy being part of the Chineham community.
Community Involvement
“Our team always joins in the events. It’s great to get out at lunchtimes and walk around. The wreath-making events are a big hit with the team especially. In fact, we’d love to put on our own event for everyone to get to know us in the park and for them to sample some of our foods.”
This you don’t want to miss! Since we visited Geeta’s and came home with a bag full of goodies (one of the best perks of the job!) our weekday dishes have been transformed!
Geeta’s is certainly a name that the UK Food Industry is going to be talking more about in the months and years ahead and one that should certainly be coming to your kitchen cupboard soon!
