“India’s food processing industry is entering a high-growth transformation phase, with the sector valued at around US$535 billion in FY2026 and projected to reach approximately US$700 billion by FY2030, representing a 7–8% CAGR. Rising incomes, urbanization, a young consumer base and evolving consumption preferences are driving this momentum, while the growing focus on health and wellness is creating significant opportunities for functional foods and beverages, nutraceuticals and convenience foods. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and global supply-chain disruptions could create inflationary pressures through higher energy, logistics and transit costs, making sourcing flexibility, supply-chain resilience and pricing agility increasingly important for food processors. Looking ahead, India is well positioned to become a global hub for value-added food products, supported by its strong agricultural base, expanding processing infrastructure and government support.” said Mr. Amit Dutta, Director, Agri, Food & Nutrition, Frost & Sullivan, MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia Region), on the sidelines of Fi India & ProPak India 2026 organized by Informa markets in India.
“India’s cost competitiveness, including packaging costs estimated to be 30–40% lower than in some European and other developed markets, combined with continued investment in automation and logistics, can further strengthen its position across both value and mass-market segments.” Mr. Amit Dutt further added.
Serving as a comprehensive platform for the food manufacturing & packaging sector, Fi India and ProPak India 2026 brought together upwards of 15,000 international professionals to connect with 500 exhibitors representing 1,500 brands this year.
Reinforcing this transformation toward wellness and outcome-driven products, Dr. Shantanu Das, Vice President & Head, Food Sciences, ITC Limited, pointed out that health outcomes are defining the future of product development. “The next wave of Food Innovation will not be defined by what products contain, but by the health outcomes they are designed to deliver.” Dr. Dasobserved. “Over the next 3–5 years, ingredients backed by trusted science, capable of addressing real consumer needs, supporting credible claims, fitting seamlessly into food applications and backed by reliable supply chains are likely to have the greatest impact. Innovations leveraging specialized ingredients and advanced technologies will play a critical role in developing cutting-edge solutions enabling India to create more innovative, value-added food products for global markets.”
Addressing the realities of scaling functional products, Ms. Bhagyashri Mhatre, Founder & Director, Food Monk Innovations, highlighted the bridge needed between concept and commercialization. “India is witnessing a strong opportunity in functional and purpose-driven foods but the real opportunity lies in making these innovations tasty, convenient and affordable for the Indian consumer.” Mhatre said. “For startups, however, moving from a good product idea to commercial scale remains challenging due to high R&D and packaging costs, large minimum order quantities for ingredients and manufacturing, regulatory requirements and the cost of clean-label formulations. Building this ecosystem will be critical to helping innovative food businesses experiment, validate and scale successfully.”
Underscoring the broader manufacturing backbone enabling these shifts, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, noted: “India’s food manufacturing ecosystem is entering a more advanced phase of growth, where the opportunity is no longer defined only by rising consumption, but by the industry’s ability to innovate, add value and manufacture at scale. As consumer expectations evolve and product categories become more diverse, manufacturers are increasingly looking at the entire value chain from ingredients and formulation to processing, automation and packaging to build greater efficiency, consistency and competitiveness.”