FEATURE
DIWALI
30 ASIAN TRADER 17 OCTOBER 2025
Rice is the star of most Diwali
feasts, including everything from
biryanis to festive desserts like
kheer.
A key name to consider here,
and something that every British
Asian household hunts for around
this time, is Tilda.
Anna Beheshti, Tilda’s Head of
Marketing, says, “Those celebrat
ing may look to c-stores for
convenient formats to help them
save time, but they still expect
top quality and flavour.”
As the nation’s number one
rice brand, worth £124m and
growing at five per cent annually,
shoppers expect to see a diverse
mix of Tilda products in stores.
Tilda Pure Basmati 500g, the
top-selling dry rice SKU in its size,
is a year-round essential that
should feature in every independ
ent retailer’s Diwali fixture. For
shoppers cooking en-masse for
family and friends, Tilda Grand
Extra Long White Basmati and
Grand Extra Long Sella Basmati
(available in 2kg to 20kg formats)
offer the quality, value and scale
needed for celebratory cooking.
Beheshti adds, “On the flip
side, a number of convenience
shoppers are looking for exactly
that – convenience. Our 250g
Ready-to-Heat can be served up in
a matter of minutes for fuss-free
flavour, and our popular Pilau and
Coconut flavours are the hero
SKUs for the holiday.
“Our Great Taste Award-win
ning Tilda Pure Basmati dry rice
now comes in brand-new
packaging. It proudly features our
B Corp logo front and centre,
while the back is covered in
beautifully illustrated designs
that reflect our commitment to
both quality and purpose.
“In terms of innovative
products, our ready-to-heat range
offers flavours that complement
Diwali dishes perfectly.”
Tilda Tasty Sides Indian Black
Dhal is another Great Taste Award
2025 winner that can be paired
with Tilda Pure Basmati rice for a
quick, satisfying meal in minutes.
“And for those looking for fast,
flavour-packed options to take
festive feasts to the next level,
our bestselling Tilda Coconut
Basmati Rice and Tilda Pilau
Basmati Rice 250g pouches are a
great choice,” Beheshti adds.
“We’re seeing a rise in
‘assembly cooks’ – consumers
who want to create meals that
feel homemade, without the
time or effort. They’re actively
seeking shortcuts, but won’t
compromise on health, flavour or
quality and Diwali is no excep
tion,” she says.
Cooking for crowds is no mean
feat. It requires a lot of multitask
ing, so it’s no surprise a number of
shoppers will be after time-saving
shortcuts. Tilda’s Ready-to-Heat
range – featuring 26 world-in
spired flavours can be prepped in
just two minutes.
This alone has
added more value
and units to the
category than any
other brand
(+£5.6m and +6.1m
units), and includes
Tilda’s best-selling
branded SKUs in
Pure Basmati,
Pilau, Coconut and
Brown Basmati,
shares Beheshti.
Get ahead by
inspiration through easy-to-
prepare world meals.
As Upuli Ambawatta, brand
manager at Empire Bespoke
Foods (EBF), says, “Ready-to-eat
options, heat-and-eat products,
and a strong range of world food
ingredients can perform
particularly well in this channel,
as they provide both convenience
and grab-and-go solutions for
shoppers.
“Our Master Cook Indian Dal +
Rice Kit has been developed with
this in mind, designed specifically
to cater to convenience seekers
who are looking for bold,
authentic flavours.
“For retailers, this means
there is a need to allocate greater
focus and shelf space to innova
tion rather than relying heavily
on existing, well-established
lines.
stocking up early on popular
essentials in different sizes,
including Tilda Pure Basmati,
Tilda Wholegrain Basmati and
Tilda Grand Basmati. As the
number one in total rice, Tilda
should dominate shelf space
during Diwali.
The days leading to Diwali are
some of the most
hectic in ethnic
households.
Shoppers are
constantly making
lists and running
errands, forgetting
something or the
other each time.
The conveni
ence sector is
ideally positioned
to serve time-poor
consumers who
seek quick
Diwali means business
Anna Beheshti, Tilda’s Head of
Marketing, shares some cool
tips for a brighter Diwali
Independent retailers can stay competitive by stocking ahead
for Diwali, giving them the best possible chance to capture
early bird shoppers.
This is also the time to stock complementary festive products
like diyas, garlands and gifting packs, helping shoppers tick
off multiple purchases in one trip.
Those celebrating Diwali may look to c-stores for convenient
formats of rice to help them save time, but they still expect top
quality and flavour.
Convenience stores have a unique opportunity to flex their
range according to all these different shopper needs.
As the nation’s number one rice brand, shoppers expect to see
a diverse mix of Tilda products in stores so stock wisely right
from Tilda Pure Basmati 500g to Tilda Grand Extra Long
White Basmati and Grand Extra Long Sella Basmati (available
in 2kg to 20kg formats).
Merchandising should focus on creating in-store theatre.
A Diwali fixture in a high-footfall area will attract attention,
and grouping the most popular products like rice, lentils, flour
and ghee will encourage shoppers to stock up in one fell
swoop.
Beyond the fixture, use vibrant, culturally relevant signage and
traditional décor to create an inclusive, celebratory
atmosphere that inspires bigger baskets.
Create a shopper experience that’s festive and fuss-free by
using themed Diwali displays, seasonal POS and cultural
décor.
Don’t forget, grouping complementary products together can
spark complete meal inspiration and drive cross-category
sales.