Bebinca (Goa’s layered dessert)

What it is / why it’s special
A multi-layer (traditionally 7–16) Indo-Portuguese dessert made from coconut milk, egg yolks, ghee and flour; slow-baked layer by layer. It’s the most iconic Goan sweet, rooted in colonial‐era convent/bakery traditions and still central to festive “kuswar” platters.

Region specificity & protection
“Goan Bebinca” is a registered Geographical Indication (GI) in India (Application No. 746; Class 30). The applicant is the All Goa Bakers and Confectioners Association; status: Registered (2023). This protects the name and recognises its Goa-specific heritage and method.

Export classification & 2023 trade picture
Bebinca ships under HS 1905; typically 190590 (“other bakers’ wares”) and, in India’s tariff, 19059010 “Pastries and cakes.”
India’s HS 190590 exports in 2023 were US$161.1 million (≈76,095 tonnes), with destinations spread across Africa, Europe and Asia (e.g., Mozambique, Norway, Spain, Uganda, etc.), indicating diverse demand for Indian cakes/pastries.

Quality & compliance (India)
Bebinca is regulated as a bakery product under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations. While there’s no named sub-standard for “Bebinca”, bakery products must meet FSSAI hygiene, contaminants, microbiology, and packaging/label rules (Appendix B & Packaging/Labeling regs referenced in Chapter 2.4).

Shelf life (packaged)
Commercial Goan brands indicate ~4 months shelf life for packaged Bebinca (varies by recipe/pack). Use as indicative guidance for export logistics, not a legal spec.

Strengths to highlight in positioning

• GI tag + provenance (Goa), distinctive layered technique and coconut-ghee flavour profile—a clear story for premium and diaspora segments
  
• Ambient-stable compared with cream cakes; fits long-haul shipping with proper packaging. (See brand shelf-life examples.
  

Cookies (Indian “sweet biscuits”; Goa focus on Bolinhas)

What they are / Goa angle
India’s “cookies” segment aligns with HS 190530 (Sweet biscuits; waffles & wafers). In Goa, the notable regional cookie is Bolinhas—semolina-and-coconut cookies tied to Goan Catholic Christmas kuswar traditions (alongside Bebinca, Doce, Baath, etc.).

Export classification & 2023 trade picture
Cookies generally use HS 190530. In 2023, India exported US$354.0 million (≈272,072 tonnes) of HS 190530 goods. Top partners included the United States (US$46.7m), Yemen (US$21.7m), Canada (US$15.5m), Kenya (US$14.6m) and South Sudan (US$13.7m)—a footprint across North America, the Middle East and Africa.

Quality specs (FSSAI – “Biscuit”)
For India-made cookies/biscuits, FSSAI’s Bakery Products standard (Chapter 2.4.15) sets key compositional/quality limits, including:

• Ash insoluble in dilute HCl ≤ 0.1% (dry basis)
  
• Acidity of extracted fat ≤ 2.0%
  
• pH of aqueous extract: 4.5–7.0
  
• Sulphur dioxide ≤ 100 ppm
  
• Colouring matter: Absent
  These sit alongside ingredient lists and microbiological/packaging requirements.
  

Strengths to highlight in positioning

• Large, diversified export base in HS 190530 gives channel access for artisanal/heritage cookies as well as industrial SKUs.
  
• Heritage storytelling: Goa’s Bolinhas (coconut/semolina, cardamom) tie into Lusophone-Konkani culinary culture and festive kuswar, useful for premium and ethnic-aisle SKUs.
  

Quick reference

• Bebinca
  
  • HS code: 190590 (India sub-heading 19059010 “Pastries and cakes”)
    
  • GI: “Goan Bebinca” registered (2023).
    
  • Core ingredients: coconut milk, egg yolk, ghee, flour; layered baking.
    
  • Indicative shelf life: ~4 months (brand claim; validate per product).
    
  • Regulatory: FSSAI bakery rules for safety/microbiology/labeling.
    
  • Context: Goa provenance and festival use.
    
• Cookies (incl. Goan Bolinhas)
  
  • HS code: 190530 (sweet biscuits/waffles/wafers).
  • 2023 exports: US$354.0m; major partners US, Yemen, Canada, Kenya, South Sudan.
  • FSSAI biscuit specs: ash insol. ≤0.1%; fat acidity ≤2.0%; pH 4.5–7.0; SO₂ ≤100 ppm; no added colouring.
  • Goa specificity: Bolinhas in kuswar; coconut-semolina profile.
    

Notes & caveats

• Export values are for HS headings that include many products (not just Bebinca/Bolinhas). They show market potential and channels rather than SKU-specific volumes. For SKU-level estimates you’ll need your own shipment data.
  
• Always confirm import-market labelling/additive rules (allergen statements, nutrition panels, egg content, etc.) alongside India’s FSSAI compliance.