Officials say the expansion reflects Kerala’s intent to build a strong, dependable brand identity rooted in sustainable practices, ethical norms and verifiable quality standards.
Published Nov 23, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 23, 2025 | 7:00 AM
The framework emphasises Kerala-sourced raw materials, strict quality checks, mandatory statutory compliance and responsible industry practices.
Synopsis: Kerala has expanded the ‘Kerala Brand’ certification from a pilot focused on coconut oil units to ten additional edible and non-edible products, aiming to create a reliable identity for goods made within the state. The widened framework brings stringent standards on quality, labour practices and environmental responsibility, supported by mandatory BIS norms, statutory compliance and detailed self-declarations from manufacturers.
Some two years after Kerala tested its ambitious branding experiment with coconut oil units, the state is now preparing to widen it to ten new edible and non-edible products.
Conceived as a comprehensive quality assurance and market positioning strategy, the ‘Kerala Brand’ initiative aims to ensure that products manufactured within the state meet rigorous standards while gaining stronger visibility in domestic and international markets under the distinctive “Made in Kerala” banner.
One of the seven pivotal pillars of the Kerala Industrial Policy 2023, the initiative was first approved in June that year. Coconut oil was selected as the pilot product and its selection criteria and inspection checklist were finalised.
Dozens of MSMEs in the coconut oil sector went through a meticulous process that assessed not just product quality but also ethical labour practices, responsible manufacturing and sustainability commitments. According to officials, only those that met the full spectrum of requirements received the certification.
The Industries Department has now broadened the programme significantly. But the success of the expansion relies on the state’s ability to tackle long-standing concerns such as adulteration and quality compliance that have historically weakened consumer confidence.
Drawing lessons from the pilot phase, the Director of Industries and Commerce has identified ten additional products to be brought into the Kerala Brand certification framework.
These include both edible and non-edible items: tea, coffee, ghee, honey, packaged drinking water, plywood, footwear, PVC pipes, surgical rubber gloves and compounded cattle feed.
Officials say the expansion reflects Kerala’s intent to build a strong, dependable brand identity rooted in sustainable practices, ethical norms and verifiable quality standards.
They pointed out that any product or service seeking Kerala Brand certification must demonstrate compliance with these principles, reinforcing the state’s vision of fostering globally competitive industries.
“The widening of the Kerala Brand umbrella signals a determined effort to amplify the reach and reputation of homegrown products and to ensure that “Made in Kerala” becomes synonymous with trust, quality, and responsibility. It will position the state more assertively in the national and global marketplace,” said an official with the Industries Department.
The selection committee meeting held on 7 October approved a comprehensive set of criteria for awarding the Kerala Brand certification to five major edible product categories: tea, coffee, ghee, honey and packaged drinking water.
The framework emphasises Kerala-sourced raw materials, strict quality checks, mandatory statutory compliance and responsible industry practices.
For all product categories, manufacturing or processing units must operate within Kerala and maintain traceability records, along with possessing valid FSSAI registrations and relevant statutory licences.
Each category mandates specific BIS standards, such as IS 3633 for black tea, IS 3077 for roasted coffee, IS 16326 for ghee, IS 4941 for honey and IS 14543 for packaged drinking water, while offering optional certifications such as ISO 22000, HACCP, Organic, Fair Trade and ZED to encourage higher industry standards.
Across all units, self-declaration requirements span three areas: quality, ethical conduct and sustainability.
Quality norms include regular testing, hygiene infrastructure, mechanised processes and the use of food-grade equipment.
Ethical standards mandate zero child labour and workplace safety, while encouraging grievance redressal mechanisms, a workforce diversity level of at least twenty five percent from women, transgender or differently abled groups, and non-discriminatory policies. This is a prerequisite in the non-edible category as well.
Environmental responsibility is assessed through renewable energy adoption, water conservation, sustainable packaging, waste segregation and compliance with Pollution Control Board norms.
The certification will be valid for two years or until the expiry of the mandatory IS or ISO certification, whichever occurs earlier, ensuring continuous adherence to benchmarks.
Entities must apply for renewal one month before expiry, furnishing updated certifications and self-declaration documents.
With these stringent norms, the Kerala Brand aims to position local edible products as ethically produced, environmentally responsible and globally benchmarked, reinforcing consumer trust and elevating Kerala’s agro-processing sector.
In the case of non-edible product manufacturing units, the focus is on quality, safety, ethical labour practices and environmental responsibility across key industries such as plywood, footwear, PVC pipes, surgical rubber gloves and compounded cattle feed.
To qualify, all units must operate within Kerala and possess the requisite statutory licences.
Each sector must also meet product-specific technical prerequisites, including compliance with updated IS standards such as IS 303:2024 for general-purpose plywood, IS 4985:2000 for UPVC potable water pipes, IS 13422:2024 for surgical rubber gloves and IS 2052:2023 for cattle feed.
Many categories also mandate specialised certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 13485, BIS Type-1 testing and CDSCO MD 5 licensing.
Across all sectors, manufacturers must submit a self-declaration covering three key pillars: quality, ethical conduct and responsible industry practices.
Quality norms include regular inspections, hygiene provisions and testing regimes suited to the product category.
Responsible industry practices require compliance with at least four sustainability-oriented measures, including the use of green energy, ZED certification, water conservation, sustainable packaging, waste segregation and pollution control systems aligned with PCB norms.
The ambitious Kerala Brand initiative is focused on elevating homegrown enterprises by certifying only those that meet rigorous standards in product quality, labour practices and sustainability.
The vision is clear: help Kerala’s MSMEs stand out in crowded markets, improve export potential and build a loyal consumer base worldwide.
But as the initiative enters this expansion phase, officials themselves point out that it must confront long-standing challenges that have eroded trust in Kerala-made goods, particularly in the edible sector.
Issues such as adulteration, inconsistent quality control and low compliance with statutory standards have historically plagued several industries.
The Kerala Brand framework attempts to address this through strict BIS-backed criteria, mandatory traceability, ethical labour declarations and sustainability requirements.
Yet the real test lies in enforcement: ensuring that small and medium units, many of which struggle with cost-intensive certifications and infrastructure upgrades, can consistently meet the benchmarks.
“If Kerala succeeds, the Kerala Brand could become a powerful differentiator, lifting local products onto national and international shelves with credibility. If not, it risks becoming yet another well-intentioned but weakly implemented label. The next couple of years will determine which way the scale tips,” said a member of the committee for awarding Kerala Brand.
