R K Sharma - American Soybean Association International Marketing
Dr. Ratan Sharma is a Ph. D in soymilk and tofu technology from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. He is an international expert in soymilk and tofu production technology. He has the credit to transfer the soymilk machine (SoyaCow) technology from Canada to India on behalf of the Child haven International and Prosoya Inc. Dr. Sharma has been dully trained in Canada and USA on the soymilk production and utilization. He has the privilege to train the soymilk and the tofu course trainees from all over the world at the University of Illinois, USA. Dr. Sharma had been to Canada, USA, Egypt, Singapore, Uganda, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, South Africa Nepal and Bangladesh to help the soymilk program in these countries. Dr. Sharma is having more than 15 years experience into the soymilk and tofu commercialization. The efforts of Dr. Sharma for transferring this SoyaCow technology are really remarkable as it created lots of employment opportunities and low cost nutrition in India and in many other countries. Dr. Sharma has established more than three hundred and seventy five soy food manufacturers in India and in many other countries and is helping them on a regular basis in product development, marketing etc.
The overall objective of ASA-International Marketing’s (ASA-IM) activities is to increase soybean consumption in the SAARC countries and, thereby, to create larger markets for U.S. Soybean and soybean products.
Activities:
Seminars & demonstrations
ASA-IM conducts seminars, primarily in India, to promote manufacturing of soy foods by food processors and other entrepreneurs. Audiences for these seminars are food technologists, dietitians and doctors. The main aim of these seminars is to educate audiences regarding the nutritional and health benefits of soybean and to identify potential food products appropriate for the Indian market. Health foods, pharmaceuticals and neutraceutical products are especially emphasized. Product demonstrations are regularly conducted.
Technical services
ASA-IM supports exiting soy processors and soy food manufacturers by providing technical assistance to improve existing technologies and products. ASA-IM uses various international and national food/soy processing experts for this activity.
Advance Training
ASA-IM takes some existing and prospective soy food entrepreneurs to the various universities and Institutions in USA for advance training in different soy foods processing.
Soy Seal
ASA-IM helps existing soy processors through provision of quality seal that endorses high quality tested products. As part of this activity, ASA-IM regularly monitors product quality.
Exhibitions
Each year ASA-IM participates in various national food exhibitions. Through these exhibitions ASA-IM promotes soy-based food products to entrepreneurs and consumers by distributing various technical literature, recipe books and soy food samples.
Marketing Assistance
As part of its promotional activities ASA-IM occasionally provides initial marketing support for new soy base-based food products.
ASA-IM’s web site address: www.asaimasc.org
