Sweetmeat chain KC Das eyes UK comeback after 5 decades, bets on bilateral trade pact

Kolkata, Jan 4 (PTI) Iconic sweetmeat chain KC Das is eyeing a return to the United Kingdom after more than five decades, encouraged by the proposed India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and rising demand for authentic Indian food brands overseas.

Dhiman Das, executive director of the legendary confectionery brand and a fifth-generation descendant of Nobin Chandra Das, the inventor of the rosogolla, said there is "huge scope" for Indian food businesses and restaurants in the UK market, particularly as the pact is expected to ease regulatory and tariff barriers for food exports.

"We are actively looking for a suitable partner for the UK venture. The important thing is that the partner should be technically sound in dairy, as finance is not a critical issue," Das told PTI.

"We are planning to set up a manufacturing base in Birmingham, which is relatively close to London, to cater to the metropolis market and adjoining regions. We have requested the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata to help us find a suitable partner," he added.

Birmingham is about 190 km from London.

Das said KC Das had established a presence in the UK as early as the 1960s but had to withdraw from the British market in 1965 due to state milk order.

"I am very optimistic that with the help of British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming, we might resume our business in the UK soon," Das said.

On sourcing of raw materials, Das said exports of key inputs from India would not be feasible due to stringent UK regulations.

"The UK is a very stringent market and nothing is allowed from India. So we will have to source inputs locally, and dairy is a key ingredient," he said.

The proposed CETA, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to London in July 2025 after 14 rounds of negotiations, is expected to be implemented in the first half of 2026.

Fleming had described the pact as the most "comprehensive and ambitious" trade agreement negotiated by both countries and expected to get this rolling by middle of 2026.

Once operational, the agreement is expected to provide Indian exporters duty-free access for 99 per cent of their products to the UK market, covering nearly the entire trade value, benefiting labour-intensive and processed food sectors.

While KC Das' vacuum-sealed canned rosogollas are exported globally and are occasionally available in UK-based Indian grocery stores, the company does not have a direct retail presence there. PTI BSM MNB