The Mumbai-born sourdough pizza chain has appointed retail veteran Gaurav Sachdeva as Chief Operating Officer at a time when the company is scaling rapidly across India’s urban foodservice landscape.

“43 stores, 12 cities — aiming to take it to 200-plus restaurants in the next few years,” says Sachdeva, summing up the ambition driving the brand’s next phase of growth.

But Si Nonna’s story is not merely about expansion. It is about building an entirely different pizza culture in India.

Beyond Conventional Pizza

Founded in 2022 by Ayush Jatia, Si Nonna’s entered a market long dominated by value-led, delivery-heavy pizza chains. Instead of competing on discounts or speed, the company built its identity around slow fermentation, artisanal preparation and immersive dining experiences.

The brand’s core differentiator lies in its sourdough philosophy.

Its pizzas are crafted using long-fermented dough, inspired by authentic Neapolitan techniques, creating a lighter, airy and flavour-forward crust that stands apart from conventional commercial pizza bases. The company has consistently highlighted craftsmanship, fermentation science and ingredient quality as central to its proposition.

Si Nonna’s also became India’s first pizzeria to receive certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the globally recognised authority that preserves authentic Neapolitan pizza traditions — a milestone that significantly elevated its credibility in premium culinary circles.

Building a Menu Around Craft and Freshness

Unlike mainstream chains that rely heavily on standardised mass-market offerings, Si Nonna’s menu has evolved around artisanal combinations, fresh ingredients and elevated comfort food.

The menu spans:

• Classic Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas
• Burrata-based pizzas
• Truffle-infused variants
• Fresh mozzarella and ricotta-led combinations
• Roasted vegetable toppings
• Pepperoni and gourmet meat selections
• Handcrafted appetisers and sides
• Desserts inspired by Italian café culture
• Specialty beverages and coffee pairings

The company has also built strong appeal through its open kitchens, visible dough preparation and wood-fired cooking processes that turn pizza-making into a theatre-led dining experience.

In many ways, Si Nonna’s operates closer to a modern lifestyle café than a traditional QSR chain.

Its outlets are designed to encourage community engagement, long-format dining and social sharing — a strategy that resonates strongly with younger urban consumers seeking experiential food brands rather than transactional eating occasions.

Dine-In Energy with Digital Reach

While dine-in remains central to the Si Nonna’s experience, the brand has simultaneously leveraged digital platforms to expand accessibility.

The company is available across major food delivery platforms including Swiggy and Zomato, allowing it to participate in India’s rapidly growing premium delivery economy without diluting its experiential positioning.

This hybrid strategy — combining artisanal dine-in culture with digital convenience — has helped the company scale faster across markets.

The brand now operates across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore and several other cities, largely focusing on premium malls, high-street destinations and affluent urban catchments.

Why the Brand Is Scaling Fast

Si Nonna’s rise reflects larger shifts underway in India’s foodservice industry.

Urban consumers today are increasingly willing to pay more for:

• Authenticity
• Ingredient quality
• Better fermentation and healthier formats
• Open kitchens and transparency
• Instagram-worthy dining spaces
• Global culinary storytelling
• Community-led food experiences

The premium pizza segment, especially sourdough and artisanal formats, is emerging as one of the fastest-growing sub-categories within organised foodservice.

Si Nonna’s has managed to position itself at the intersection of premium dining, café culture and modern lifestyle consumption.

Its rapid expansion from a single Mumbai outlet to 43 stores across 12 cities in a short span underlines the growing consumer appetite for differentiated food brands.

Enter Gaurav Sachdeva

As Si Nonna’s prepares for its next expansion phase, the company has brought in a leader with deep experience in scaling consumer-facing businesses.

Sachdeva joins after serving as Chief Retail Officer at BlueStone and brings over two decades of experience across Bestseller India, Puma, Hero Cycles, VF Corporation and Genpact.

Originally from Shimla, he often speaks about resilience as a defining influence in his life.

“Hailing from Shimla, my school was a 4 km uphill walk every day. I did that for 12 years and resilience is my biggest gain from there,” he says.

An alumnus of Pearl Academy of Fashion, LDT Nagold and INSEAD, Sachdeva believes strongly in people-led leadership and brand-building.

“At work my biggest kick is when someone I worked with gets promoted to the next level. At home the same kick comes when someone loves what I cook,” he says.

That blend of operational scale, consumer understanding and passion for experience-driven brands could prove critical as Si Nonna’s attempts to transform from a fast-growing premium pizza chain into one of India’s defining modern foodservice brands.

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In his new role, Firoz will lead business development and channel strategy, with a strong focus on identifying high-potential markets, strengthening partner ecosystems, and building a scalable growth framework across the portfolio. Firoz brings over 16 years of experience, with deep expertise in new market entry strategy, brand positioning, mall zoning and tenant mix strategy, mall positioning, brand operations, and long-term brand sustainability.

Firoz Khan, Director and Channel Head – Business Development, Sunday Hotels, added, “For me, business development has always been about understanding how markets evolve and building partnerships with intent. What stood out about Sunday Hotels is the clarity in its growth vision and the opportunity to build in a way that is both structured and sustainable. There is strong potential to deepen channel relationships and approach expansion more thoughtfully, and I look forward to working with the team to shape that journey in the years ahead.”

Over the course of his career, Firoz has built strong and long-standing relationships with developers, retailers, and institutional stakeholders across the country, enabling successful deal-making and expansion across diverse real estate markets. His experience spans leading real estate advisory firms and development platforms across Tier I, II, and III cities.

Prior to joining Sunday Hotels, Firoz served as Vice President and Head – North India Business at PPZ, where he managed the entire North India portfolio, driving regional growth, developer partnerships, and asset acquisition while working closely with leadership on business planning and performance. His role also encompassed marketing, operations, budgeting, leasing, and SOH, ensuring end-to-end oversight of business execution and growth delivery.

Earlier, he held the position of Associate Director at Colliers International, driving initiatives across markets nationwide and working closely with a diverse mix of retailers and developers. In this role, he also supported many retail brands and startup brands in planning their expansion strategies and business development roadmaps, helping them structure market entry and scale-up plans across Tier I, II, and III cities.

He also worked aggressively with key clients including Walmart, Metro Cash & Carry, PVR INOX, and several other leading brands, contributing significantly to shaping retail expansion across Tier II and III markets. He has also held significant roles at Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, and JLL.

The appointment reflects Sunday Hotels’ focus on strengthening business development and expanding its hospitality platform sustainably.

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Goel had been steering the company as acting head since December 2024, alongside co-founder Uday Thakker and Growth Head Ajinkya Poundrik, following the passing of co-founder Rohan Mirchandani. During this period, Epigamia delivered its strongest performance yet in FY2025–26, with robust growth and improved profitability.

The leadership reshuffle comes as the brand looks to build on this momentum and expand further in India’s FMCG space. Today, Epigamia is available at over 25,000 retail touchpoints across 30+ cities, spanning modern trade, general trade, and quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Instamart, Amazon, and Zepto. The company recorded over 50% growth in FY2025–26, driven by strong demand and continued innovation across categories such as Greek yogurt, smoothies, and high-protein snacks.

Commenting on the development, Arjun Anand, MD & Head of Asia, Verlinvest said, “Epigamia has delivered an excellent FY26 of solid growth, driven by strong execution by Ankur, Uday, Ajinkya & the company’s leadership team. The brand’s strong performance is a result of focusing on the core and leveraging Epigamia’s brand equity. Securing over 50% growth in 2025-26 is a direct result of this strategic approach and hard work, and sets the brand on strong footing for 2026-27. We are certain that the appointment of Ritesh Gauba as CEO and the elevation of Ankur to Co-Founder & COO will help them continue this momentum in the years to come, and build Epigamia into a cornerstone of India’s new age F&B segment.”

Swaraj Mirchandani, Director on the board and representative of the Mirchandani family, added,“We are very proud & happy with the team’s resilience and strength in delivering a wonderful FY26. Ankur’s elevation to co-founder & COO and the appointment of Ritesh as CEO is a sign of recognition of a great year and the commitment of shareholders to grow the brand & business over the many years to come.”

Commenting on his appointment, Gauba said, “Epigamia is one of India’s most loved new-age food brands, and I am excited to join at such a meaningful juncture. The company’s strong fundamentals, the founding family’s commitment, and Verlinvest’s long-term partnership create a powerful platform for category-defining growth. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team to take the brand to its next horizon.”

The leadership changes come as the company aims to maintain its growth momentum and expand its footprint in India’s FMCG market. Gauba brings deep experience in building premium consumer brands and driving omnichannel growth. He has previously worked with Pladis (home to McVitie’s and Godiva), as well as Mars and Britannia.

Operated by Drums Food International, Epigamia offers a range of products including Greek yogurt, protein milkshakes, smoothies, lactose-free curd, and almond milk.

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For years, CookieMan has been defined by experience. The aroma of freshly baked cookies, the theatre of in-store preparation, and its indulgent, premium positioning have made it a familiar and nostalgic presence across India’s malls and high streets. Its Australian heritage added to its distinctiveness, setting it apart in a crowded snacking market.

But beneath that experiential layer, the brand has been quietly building something more expansive.

Today, CookieMan is no longer confined to its own stores. It has already established a meaningful presence across organised retail channels, including:

• Hypermarkets such as Reliance Smart and Metro Cash & Carry
• National supermarket chains like Spencer’s Retail and Reliance Signature
• Gourmet food retailers including Magson Retail, Modern Bazaar, Freshpik, and FoodSquare
• Regional chains such as Grace Retail, Magsons Goa, and Geom 360
• Travel retail via airport chains like Relay and Bon Voyage

This network reflects a brand that has secured premium shelf visibility across curated retail environments. Yet, visibility alone does not translate into scale. The next phase is about building depth, consistency, and reach.

That is where Banerjee comes in.

With nearly two decades of experience spanning FMCG and modern retail—across organisations such as Wellness Forever, Foodhall, Spencer’s Retail, and most recently Magson Retail—he brings a rare combination of distribution expertise, merchandising strategy, and category-building capability. His role will focus on expanding CookieMan’s packaged business across modern trade, general trade, and gifting, transforming an already present distribution footprint into a robust national growth engine.

His own articulation captures the ambition—to help build a “formidable presence in the FMCG sector.”

The leadership alignment behind this move is equally telling. Welcoming Banerjee, Sanjay Mishra, Chairman, Australian Foods, noted, “Delighted to have you with us, Saibal Chandra Banerjee. May you and the brand grow together and delight our consumers.”

It is a simple message, but one that underscores both confidence and expectation.

The timing of this push is significant. India’s cookie market is undergoing a shift, driven by premiumisation and evolving consumer preferences. Shoppers are increasingly moving toward indulgent, gourmet-style cookies, while the rise of organised retail, quick commerce, and gifting culture is opening new pathways for growth.

CookieMan, with its strong association with indulgence and freshness, is well-positioned to capitalise on these trends. However, its current business—estimated at ₹80–120 crore annually with around 50–70 stores—remains largely anchored in its store-led model. Packaged products, though present, have yet to realise their full potential.

The opportunity, therefore, lies in rebalancing the business.

Scaling the FMCG side will require more than just expanding presence. It will demand stronger distributor networks, sharper pricing strategies, efficient supply chains, and a wider SKU portfolio that can cater to both premium and more accessible consumption occasions. It will also require the discipline to ensure that products don’t just occupy shelf space, but move consistently across it.

At the same time, the brand must preserve what makes it distinctive. CookieMan’s premium identity, its international appeal, and its indulgence-led positioning are key assets in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive, with both legacy players and emerging premium brands vying for consumer attention.

If executed well, the payoff could be substantial. Over the next few years, packaged products could become a significant contributor to revenue, supported by deeper penetration across modern trade, expansion into general trade, and a stronger play in festive and corporate gifting.

In many ways, CookieMan is at a crossroads familiar to many legacy food brands—transitioning from an experience-led retail model to a distribution-led FMCG business. It is a shift that requires not just strategy, but sustained execution.

With Banerjee now leading trade sales, and with leadership backing clearly aligned, the intent is unmistakable.

CookieMan has already found its place on the right shelves. The next step is to ensure it earns a place in everyday consumption—moving from an occasional indulgence to a brand that travels into homes, celebrations, and daily routines across India.

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The appointments were approved by the company’s Board of Directors through a circular resolution passed on April 3, following recommendations from the Nomination and Remuneration Committee—underscoring a structured approach to leadership transition.

Leadership Transition at Pizza Hut

Sandeep Anand will take charge from April 6, 2026, succeeding Vijay Gogate, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Pizza Hut within the company. This transition marks a notable shift in leadership structure for one of Devyani International’s key QSR brands in India, with a sharper focus on integrated marketing and business leadership.

Sandeep Anand: Driving Scale Through Brand and Platform Leadership

With close to two decades of experience across consumer tech, FMCG, and QSR, Anand brings a strong track record of building and transforming large-scale businesses. In his previous role at Domino’s, he served as Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head – Platforms (Swiggy & Zomato), leading all-India operations across 1,850+ restaurants spanning delivery, dine-in, and takeaway channels.

His portfolio includes leading and scaling power brands such as Dettol, Horlicks, Complan, SugarFree, Veet, Domino’s, Zomato and Strepsils. His core expertise lies in brand strategy, innovation, performance marketing, CRM, and delivering superior customer experience through strong on-ground execution. Anand has also been part of the South Asia Leadership Teams at Domino’s and Zomato, managing large, cross-functional teams.

Robinder Singh to Lead Costa Coffee and Airport Businesses

Robinder Singh takes on the role of Business Head for Costa Coffee and airport operations, bringing a strong focus on operational excellence and strategic growth. His experience spans operations management, long-term planning, profitability optimisation, and process improvement.

Singh is known for his ability to align business strategy with execution, drive efficiency, and build high-performing teams. His expertise in cross-functional collaboration, marketing initiatives, and problem-solving positions him well to scale Costa Coffee and strengthen the company’s presence in high-footfall airport locations.

A Strategic Push for Growth and Efficiency

This leadership restructuring reflects Devyani International’s broader intent to drive brand growth, enhance customer experience, and improve operational efficiency across its portfolio. By bringing together strong marketing leadership and operational depth, the company is positioning itself to navigate the next phase of growth in India’s evolving QSR landscape.

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The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the brand, as it re-aligns leadership, capital and execution capabilities to accelerate expansion, beginning with South India and extending into global markets. Backed by Bharat Sanjaya Ventures, its investor and strategic partner, Cuppa is sharpening its focus on building a scalable and operationally consistent café business.

As part of this transition, Sharath Ravikumar brings over 15 years of leadership experience across hospitality, event management and food and beverage, with a strong track record in brand-led execution and operational scale.Cuppa will focus on expanding its footprint, starting with Southern India and then moving into global markets, while building the systems, processes and outlet-level consistency required for franchise-led growth. The emphasis will remain on creating a format that can scale without compromising brand experience, operational discipline, or customer connect.

Over the past few years, under the leadership of Visakh Viswambharan and partners, Cuppa has evolved in line with changing consumer preferences, focusing on accessibility, everyday relevance, and consistency in experience. As the brand enters its next chapter, the emphasis is firmly on scale: expansion through a structured franchise-led model while further strengthening operational systems and customer experience.

“Cuppa has built a strong foundation over the years, and the opportunity ahead lies in taking that foundation forward with a more structured, scalable expansion model,” said Sharath Ravikumar, Chief Executive Officer, Cuppa. “My focus will be on driving growth with discipline, strengthening consistency across the brand, and building the operating cadence required for Cuppa to expand across South India and beyond. The aim is to scale the brand thoughtfully while preserving what has made Cuppa relevant and distinctive.”

Commenting on the transition, Visakh Viswambharan, Director, Cuppa, said, “Cuppa has always had strong brand recall, and the next phase is about translating that into a more scalable and execution-led growth platform. With Sharath stepping in to lead the business, and with Bharat Sanjaya Ventures as both an investor and strategic partner, we are focused on building the right structure for expansion across locations. As I continue to focus on my broader ventures across AI, technology, and sports, I will remain involved at a strategic level while Sharath leads the business forward.”

With leadership, capital support and a clearly defined expansion agenda now aligned, Cuppa is positioning itself for the next stage of growth. The brand’s franchise-led approach, combined with its consumer-facing identity and operational model, is expected to support its journey toward broader market expansion and long-term scale.

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Sodexo is one of the world’s largest food services and facilities management companies, with a strong presence across corporate, healthcare, and education segments in India—making this role critical to shaping its food platform strategy.

Nair’s appointment comes at a time when food services are rapidly evolving—driven by digitisation, changing workplace formats, and rising expectations around quality, health, and experience.

In this role, he is expected to play a key part in strengthening Sodexo’s food ecosystem, aligning platform capabilities with evolving consumer and enterprise needs.

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Built on the everyday appeal of Indo-Chinese cuisine, Lenexis has quietly assembled one of the most formidable homegrown QSR platforms in the country. Its flagship Chinese Wok, alongside The Momo Co. and Big Bowl, taps into a rare sweet spot—high-frequency consumption, strong delivery demand, and deep cultural familiarity. What began as Wok Express in 2015 has now evolved into a multi-brand engine serving millions of customers across metros and emerging cities.

At the heart of the company’s next chapter is a sharply defined ambition: to build a ₹1,500+ crore business with 600+ restaurants by March 2028. This is not incremental growth—it is a scale leap that demands operational muscle, capital efficiency, and brand consistency across geographies.

Lenexis’ rise is rooted in its ability to formalise what has long been an unorganised category. Indo-Chinese food—arguably India’s most ubiquitous “outside food”—has traditionally been fragmented across local eateries. By standardising taste, ensuring hygiene, and delivering affordability at scale, Chinese Wok has effectively institutionalised a street-born cuisine into a national QSR format.

The brand’s footprint— 260+ restaurants across 50+ cities—already places it ahead of most organised players in this niche. But the real opportunity lies beyond metros, where rising disposable incomes and delivery penetration are expanding the addressable market at an unprecedented pace.

Arvind R P’s entry brings both depth and range. An MBA in Marketing from Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchirapalli, with a foundation in Statistics from Delhi University, he combines analytical rigor with consumer-centric thinking. His executive education includes programs at Kellogg School of Management (advanced marketing and data analytics), Hamburger University, Chicago (enterprise leadership), and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, reflecting a strong grounding in modern marketing science and organisational transformation.

Across a career spanning over 25 years, Arvind has built a reputation for turning brands into growth engines:

• At McDonald’s India (South & West), he drove marketing, digital commerce and category innovation while owning revenue and margin outcomes—helping deepen the brand’s integration with delivery platforms and younger consumers.
• At Kaya, he led a significant brand repositioning while building omnichannel capabilities and scaling a new products business.
• At Levi Strauss & Co., he spearheaded a brand relaunch and retail identity transformation, earning a Global CEO Award (2013) for a successful new brand launch.
• Earlier roles at Britannia and TVS Motor saw him work across product strategy, market entry (including Indonesia), and consumer insights—laying the foundation for his cross-category expertise.

This blend of brand-building, digital acceleration, and P&L ownership aligns closely with what Lenexis now requires: scaling fast, but with precision.

What makes Lenexis particularly interesting is its portfolio approach. Instead of betting on a single format, it has created multiple consumption occasions:

• Chinese Wok for core meals
• The Momo Co. for snackable, impulse consumption
• Big Bowl for convenient, bundled formats

This layered strategy allows the company to maximise kitchen utilisation, optimise delivery economics, and cross-leverage real estate, especially in cloud and hybrid store formats.

Lenexis Foodworks: Growth Blueprint at a Glance

The timing of this expansion is significant. India’s foodservices market is being reshaped by three powerful forces:

• Delivery-first consumption becoming the default, not an add-on
• Premiumisation at the top, value expansion at the bottom
• Organised players capturing share from unorganised incumbents

Lenexis sits squarely at the intersection of these trends—offering value-driven meals while leveraging aggregator platforms and digital ordering to scale rapidly.

As the company steps into its next phase, a few priorities will define the trajectory:

• Standardising supply chains across an expanding national footprint
• Balancing franchise-led expansion with operational control
• Driving throughput and speed in kitchens to protect margins
• Strengthening brand recall beyond metros into emerging cities
• Leveraging data and CRM to build repeat consumption, not just trial

The larger question is not whether Lenexis can grow—it already has. The real test is whether it can scale without dilution: of taste, of experience, and of economics.

With a clear target, a differentiated category position, and leadership that blends analytical depth with brand instinct, Lenexis Foodworks is now stepping into a far more demanding arena—one where execution, not intent, will determine whether it becomes India’s defining Indo-Chinese QSR powerhouse.

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With an  experience spanning over two decades across sectors such as QSR, FMCG, beauty, fashion and automotive, with a focus on P&L management, brand building and digital-led growth, Arvind served as Chief Business Officer (South) at McDonald’s India, previous to Lenexis Foodworks, where he played a key role in driving business growth and strengthening brand strategy. Over the course of his career, he has led large-scale initiatives spanning brand building, category innovation, full-funnel digital transformation, and developing high-performance teams.

Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal, Founder & Director, Lenexis Foodworks said, “We are delighted to welcome Arvind to Lenexis Foodworks at a pivotal stage in our journey. As we scale our brands and strengthen our presence across India, his deep experience in building consumer businesses, driving P&L growth, and creating digital-first organisations will be invaluable. Arvind’s leadership will help us sharpen execution, strengthen our operating backbone, and accelerate our ambition of building category-leading QSR brands.”

Arvind R P, Chief Executive Officer, Lenexis Foodworks expressed, “Lenexis Foodworks has built a strong foundation with a portfolio of distinctive brands, and embodies the ambition of a new-age Indian food services platform. I am excited to join the team at this pivotal stage, and help accelerate growth. The opportunity to build a future-ready QSR platform and drive category leadership across brands is truly compelling.”

As the company intensifies its expansion across Geographies, targeting 500 stores by 2028 and deepens category leadership in Desi Chinese, bowl-format dining, and the fast-growing momo segment, Arvind will lead the company’s next phase of accelerated growth — scaling its portfolio brands, strengthening operational excellence, and building a future-ready organisation.

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Walking through any modern grocery store today reveals a shift that no number of market research reports can capture. The freezer aisle has quietly and steadily expanded, replacing the area once dedicated to condiments and biscuits. Frozen parathas are now placed alongside marinated chicken, while biryani kits share shelf space with ready-made gravies. Items like dal makhani, palak paneer, and chicken tikka are all sealed, frozen, and prepared for quick cooking within minutes.

India’s ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook segments have undergone a subtle transition — from the margins to the heart of the market. Look at what people are eating on an ordinary weekday. The answer required very little time to prepare. A frozen snack. A pre-cooked curry. Something that moves from freezer to plate in minutes.

Market Research Future estimates that India’s ready-to-eat meals market was approximately $ 6.34 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $ 19.95 billion by 2035, with an average annual growth rate of about 11 percent from 2025 to 2035. Additionally, a study by Markets and Data predicts that the packaged RTE food market will expand from $ 1.10 billion in FY2024 to $ 3.41 billion in FY2032, with a CAGR of 16.4 percent.

Projections may vary. But the direction is steady. In less than a decade, a meal for each of the 5 consumers of packaged food would include a large portion of RTE products.

Time and generation are rewriting the menu

Research on Indian convenience food consumption conducted by Dr D.Y. Patil Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology shows that working women and dual‑income households increasingly reach for “packed, clean and reasonably priced meals” rather than elaborate traditional cooking after a full workday.

Other trending factors of nuclear families, rising incomes and a desire to save effort on weekday cooking without giving up the idea of a “proper meal” fuel the shift. A frozen paratha or heat-and-eat dal isn’t a compromise when it frees up 20-30 minutes after a 12-hour day.

However, the major factor remains the rapid urbanisation. The Union government’s Economic Survey report 2023-24 expected that by 2030, more than 40 per cent of India’s population will live in urban areas. 

These statistics reflect kitchens with less time, smaller families with fewer hands, and a generation that does not view frozen food through the same suspicious lens as earlier generations did.

The ready-to-eat adoption is generational. The consumption patterns of the younger generation are shaped by global content. They have grown up watching food content through reels, shorts or YouTube videos from kitchens across the world. The concept of food freshness is outdated for them, unlike for earlier generations.

This cohort is more comfortable equating quality with standardisation, packaging, and safety. For them, the idea that food can be prepared elsewhere, preserved efficiently, and consumed later without compromising on taste or hygiene feels far more acceptable.

The government’s Household Consumption Expenditure Survey for 2023-24 backs this up. In cities, people are spending over 11 per cent of their food budget on RTE products.

Local is the new flavour     

What has further accelerated the adoption is localisation. For a long time, the frozen food conversation in India centred on imported formats featuring products associated with a certain kind of urban cosmopolitanism, such as nuggets, spring rolls, and patties. What changed the game was localisation.

Indian manufacturers began filling the gap that imported products could never fill. The craving for proper biryani, slow-cooked dal, smoky seekh kebab, and a paratha that tastes like it was made at home was more appealing to people. Once the frozen food started feeling Indian, the hesitation dissolved. The category stopped being a compromise and started being a preference.

Infra, tech pushing the scale

Improved infrastructure and cutting-edge technology proved to be game-changers in scaling the RTE market.

The country’s cold chain capacity has improved over the last decade, supported by government incentives and private investment. The country now has over 37 million tonnes of cold storage capacity.

The days of unreliable reefer trucks are over. Now, sensors monitor in real time the transit, temperature, humidity and equipment functions.

Warehouses are becoming smarter with AI, figuring out and optimising ways to stack and store goods, helping avoid wild temperature swings that could spoil food. Think of it like a super-efficient packer who knows exactly where everything goes to keep things cool and stable all the time.

But the distribution remains uneven, as metropolitan cities and large urban clusters are well served, while smaller towns still face gaps in refrigerated transport and storage reliability.

At the same time, quick commerce platforms have introduced a new layer of access. Frozen and ready-to-eat products can now be delivered in minutes.

For time‑conscious urban middle‑class consumers, the ability to have groceries and full meals delivered in minutes has turned convenience from an occasional fallback into a default setting. Every time a platform suggests a “heat‑and‑eat dal makhani” alongside regular staples, or a frozen biryani next to fresh produce, it nudges the trial of RTE. It’s compounding into habits — office workers build their lunch routines around microwavable meals. At the same time, students and young professionals stock RTE pouches the way earlier generations stored loose atta and dals in bulk.

Cloud kitchens push growth story

While the growth story of the RTE industry largely relies on the retail segment, a significant chunk of this sector’s expansion is driven by the rise of Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and cloud kitchens.

QSRs depend on frozen and semi-processed ingredients for consistency. A chicken preparation in a Bengaluru outlet must be identical to the one in Lucknow. In a centralised kitchen model, it is only possible with standardised, blast-frozen inputs.

As India adds more cloud kitchens and organised food chains at a considerable pace, this institutional dependence on frozen and processed food will only deepen. The growth of the sector is not just a retail story. It is also a story about a commercial kitchen.

Health can’t be in the backseat

No discussion on ready-to-eat food is complete without addressing health.

Consumers are more aware, and ingredients on the back of labels significantly drive their buying decisions

They are asking about additives, about sodium, about whether what they are eating has been stripped of everything that made it food in the first place.

The honest answer is that manufacturers must be aware that, when done correctly, freezing is one of the most benign preservation methods available. It locks in nutrients and eliminates the need for many chemical preservatives. The issue is not freezing; it is formulation—what goes in before freezing. Brands that address this clearly will build long-term trust. 

RTE is the makeover of Indian Kitchens

The RTE meals are not replacing traditional cooking in India, but are integrating into spaces once reserved for traditional cooking. The Indian kitchen has always been adaptive. Pressure cookers, mixers, packaged atta — each innovation was once seen as a shortcut. Today, they are standard. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods are following a similar trajectory.

RTE meals are no longer a curiosity on the supermarket shelf; they sit at the centre of how urban India is learning to save time, outsource labour and still feel in control of what lands on the plate.

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