1. Project Overview
Product: Tomato Sauce (ready-to-use condiment)
Base Ingredient: Tomato Purée or Fresh Tomato Pulp
Production Scale Example: 1,000 kg/day finished sauce (can be scaled up)
Market Type: B2B (HoReCa, bulk) + B2C (retail bottles/sachets)
2. Market Opportunity
- High and growing demand across India and export markets.
- Used by snack producers, restaurants, fast food chains, and households.
- India’s HoReCa ketchup/sauce segment grows >10% annually.
- Export potential in Africa, Middle East, South Asia due to long shelf life and affordability.
3. Raw Materials
| Item | Purpose | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh ripe tomatoes / tomato purée | Base ingredient | Local farms / internal purée unit |
| Sugar | Sweetness | Local mills |
| Salt | Flavor & preservative | Local |
| Vinegar / Acetic acid | Preservative | Chemical supplier |
| Spices (garlic, onion, pepper, clove, etc.) | Flavor | Local spice markets |
| Thickener (corn starch, xanthan gum) | Consistency | Food-grade suppliers |
| Packaging (PET bottles, glass bottles, sachets) | Distribution | Packaging vendors |
4. Machinery & Equipment
| Equipment | Function | Approx. Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Washer & sorter | Clean tomatoes | ₹50,000 |
| Pulper / Refiner | Extract pulp | ₹1,50,000 |
| Steam jacketed kettle | Cooking & mixing | ₹2,50,000 |
| Homogenizer | Smooth consistency | ₹1,20,000 |
| Pasteurizer | Sterilization | ₹80,000 |
| Filling & sealing machine | Bottling / sachets | ₹2,50,000 |
| Labeling machine | Branding | ₹70,000 |
| Boiler / Steam generator | Heat supply | ₹2,00,000 |
| Miscellaneous (pumps, conveyors, tanks) | — | ₹1,00,000 |
Total Machinery Cost: ₹12–14 lakh (semi-automatic small-scale)
5. Production Process
Step-by-Step:
- Sorting & Washing: Select ripe, red tomatoes and clean thoroughly.
- Blanching: Steam briefly to loosen skin and soften fruit.
- Pulp Extraction: Use pulper to separate skin and seeds.
- Cooking: Cook pulp with sugar, salt, spices, and vinegar in a steam kettle.
- Thickening: Add starch to get desired sauce consistency.
- Homogenization: Blend for a smooth texture.
- Pasteurization: Heat to kill bacteria and extend shelf life.
- Filling: Hot-fill into bottles, jars, or sachets.
- Cooling: Gradually cool filled containers.
- Labeling & Packing: Label and carton for sale/distribution.
6. Plant Layout (Flow Chart)
Sorting → Washing → Blanching → Pulping → Cooking →
Homogenizing → Pasteurizing → Filling → Cooling → Labeling → Packing
7. Manpower Requirement
| Role | No. of People |
|---|---|
| Production Supervisor | 1 |
| Machine Operators | 2 |
| Helpers | 3 |
| Quality Control | 1 |
| Packaging Staff | 2 |
| Admin / Sales | 1 |
Total: 9–10 people
8. Quality & Standards
- FSSAI License (Mandatory)
- BIS IS 3882:1995 (Tomato Sauce and Ketchup)
- HACCP / ISO 22000 for food safety
- Udyam/MSME Registration
- Export Certification: APEDA / IEC
Testing Parameters:
- Total Soluble Solids (TSS) 25–30%
- pH 3.8–4.2
- Preservative levels (≤750 ppm SO₂ or ≤120 ppm benzoic acid)
9. Financial Overview (Small-Scale Example)
| Item | Cost (INR) |
|---|---|
| Building (rented) | ₹2–3 lakh/year |
| Machinery & Equipment | ₹12–14 lakh |
| Raw Materials (monthly) | ₹2.5–3.5 lakh |
| Labor & Utilities | ₹1.5–2 lakh/month |
| Packaging & Marketing | ₹1 lakh/month |
| Working Capital | ₹5–6 lakh |
| Total Initial Investment: | ₹25–30 lakh |
Profit Margin: 25–35%
Break-even: 1.5–2 years
10. Packaging Options
| Type | Size | Use |
|---|---|---|
| PET / Glass Bottles | 200 g / 500 g / 1 kg | Retail market |
| Sachets | 10 g / 20 g / 50 g | FMCG & fast food |
| Bulk jars | 5 kg / 10 kg / 20 kg | HoReCa supply |
| Aseptic Drums | 200 kg | Export market |
11. Marketing Strategy
B2B:
- Supply to fast-food chains, restaurants, snack makers
- White-label production for other food brands
- Export bulk sauce in drums or jars
B2C:
- Launch “Kolar Red Gold” Tomato Sauce brand
- Sell through distributors, supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms
- Bundle with ketchup/purée product range
12. Integration with Purée & Ketchup Units
Running Tomato Purée + Sauce + Ketchup together gives:
- Shared raw material line (washing, pulping, boiling)
- Lower processing costs per kg
- Multi-product sales — better inventory control
- Stronger export portfolio
Example:
Fresh Tomato → Purée → Sauce / Ketchup / Concentrate (3 Product Lines)
13. Sustainability Opportunities
- Use tomato peels/seeds for compost or animal feed
- Recycle water from washing section
- Use solar thermal systems for blanching or evaporation
- Switch to recyclable PET or biodegradable sachets