Check the Goodness meter of your food

Food can look pretty, marketing can do their job, and make sure it’s available everywhere…?with some pretty phases mentioned in the advertising and on the packs…. But is it enough to ensure that it reaches the discerning customer wanting to pick only the best for his/ her family?

Today people still have a nagging doubt that they could be missing a nasty on the label (simply because they don’t recognize it) or paying extra bucks for packaging that’s probably not good for their health/hormones/ mood/ gut…

So what’s the solution??

Recently launched Goodness Meter by Thinking Forks, India's premier foodtech consulting firm sounds like an apt tool to solve this conundrum.

I spoke to Rinka Banerjee, Food Teech expert and Founder and director of Thinking Forks to understand what Goodness Meter is, and how it can help both the brands and consumers.

You have been closely associated with the food industry and multiple brands for a few decades now. Why did you feel the need to develop Goodness Meter?

At a time when health and wellness considerations of consumers require package food manufacturers to be more accountable and transparent, the Goodness Meter offers to deliver the stamp of quality, assurance, and safety for packaged foods. It has been conceived and developed as the gold standard for the 'goodness’ of packaged food products.

Please take us through the process of developing the Goodness Meter.

Goodness Meter was the outcome of our dual vision to help consumers make better food choices as well as help encourage (more) transparency in the packaged food industry.?

First step: Conversations

Our conversations with consumers led us to three things that they look for while choosing packaged foods –? Ingredient Quality, Nutritional Value, and Product Safety

Second step: Defining?

Based on this and after discussions with various stakeholders in the industry (scientists, brands, health journalists, and consumers) we defined 27 criteria across these three critical (Ingredients, Nutrition, and Food Safety) areas. These besides aligning with local FSSAI regulations align with global standards and recommendations (such as those set by WHO) too.

Third step: Designing

These criteria were then translated into a measurable scoring system with scores for minimum mandatory criteria plus bonus points for meeting additional specifications proactively being done by-products (e.g. active ingredients, protein content, presence of fiber, organic ingredients, global food safety accreditations like the BRC, FFSC 22000, etc). The idea is to provide good brands with a tool to get their products evaluated, and if eligible, certified through a comprehensive and transparent process.?

Do share its USPs and advantages over traditional labeling systems.

Goodness Meter's biggest USP is that it is simple and transparent. The approach – the criteria and scoring method - is on the website for everyone to see. Products that receive certification have access to the goodness meter certified logo and a QR code which the consumer can easily scan to see the scoring across the 3 parameters that is ingredients, nutrition, and safety.?

Another unique value proposition (UVP) is that this is a tool created by industry veterans who have spent years studying these aspects of foods and therefore has science-based credibility.

How can the Goodness Meter help the consumer make an informed purchase?

The Goodness meter is designed to enable and empower consumers to make good and healthy food choices. The GM rating decodes the fine print on food packaging labels and examines the ingredients. preparation processes of food products to assess their goodness, wholesomeness, quality, and safety.

You say it’ll be a win-win for the brands too? Please can you explain?

We endeavor to help small and midsized brands access our expertise to improve and showcase their “goodness”. It’s a win-win for brands as the differentiation that brands are trying to create for their products can be communicated in a transparent, simple manner to the consumers, backed by a strong credible accreditation process.?

The Goodness Meter accreditation process will provide a comprehensive set of recommendations for the brand on what they are doing well and what areas they need to improve upon proactively.?

The tool is there to support brands' design and place the right products in the market, and help the consumers differentiate effectively basis the goodness of products.?

How can a brand apply for it?

They can log in to www.goodnessmeter.com, create an account and answer a series of questions under ingredients, food safety, and nutrition, and upload key information and documents. Post an evaluation process by the expert panel clear recommendations will be given to the brand about the eligibility for the certification. It is a simple and hassle-free process. Alternatively, brands can also mail us at [email protected] for more certification information.

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Kavita Devgan is a Practicing Dietician, Holistic Health Counsellor, Nutrition Advocate and Advisor, Health Columnist, Speaker and Author of Six Bestsellers

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