Shrimp: Zhingalala founder Manoj Sharma for finding alternative markets to US

The company opened a quick service branch of the Zinghalala outlet on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway last week

With the shrimp sector emerging as one of the sectors to be affected badly due to the US imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports, what will be the way forward? 

Manoj Sharma, a shrimp farmer and feed producer who has begun tapping the retail market over the last few years, says promoting domestic consumption of the nutrition-rich shrimp could provide a cushion for shrimp farmers.

Besides expanding the global footprint to offset the loss of the US market, Sharma sees immense potential within India’s domestic market. “With a population of 1.5 billion and 77 per cent of the population being non-vegetarians, even a small increase in shrimp consumption could absorb vast quantities, potentially 10 lakh tonnes, if people consumed just 100 grams on weekends,” he said.

Egg-like campaign

Sharma was here to talk on his experiments with retail sales at the recent annual conference of the CLFMA of India (Compound Feed Manufacturers Association).

Calling for a nationwide campaign to promote shrimp consumption, he drew an analogy to the campaign run by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC). He recounted how slogans like “Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ande” (Sunday or Monday, eat eggs daily) had a significant impact on egg consumption.

After building a 100-hectare shrimp farm that produces 600 tonnes of shrimp annually, Sharma founded Zhingalala, a retail brand and an eatery in Surat that specialises in shrimp cuisine.

“I started the campaign by saying ‘pond to your plate’, focusing on aspects like awareness, affordability, availability, and acceptability,” he said.

Source of nutrition

Packing shrimp and selling them in the retail market would not help improve consumption. “The focus must be on creating a culinary experience and educating people on how to cook and enjoy shrimp,” he said.

In the retail business, his company did a business of ₹12 crore. “With the tariff issue hitting them, more shrimp producers will turn to domestic sales. This could result in a drop in prices,” he said.

Stating that shrimp is a convenient and nutritious food source, he said that it is a flavour sponge that can adapt to any cuisine, from boiled preparations to biryanis. 

The company opened a quick service branch of the Zinghalala outlet on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway last week.

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Published on August 29, 2025