For decades, stations remained a captive market trapped in outdated catering structures. This new decision marks a decisive shift from a low-investment “chai–poori” stall model to a structured, audit-driven, QSR-ready retail ecosystem comparable to airports and global rail hubs.

Why This Decision Took So Long — The Real Factors Behind the Delay

1. A catering mindset — not a retail vision

Food at stations was treated as a compliance necessity, not a revenue engine. Legacy contractors operated on low CapEx and low hygiene standards, keeping organised players away.

2. Infrastructure wasn’t QSR-ready

Stations lacked essential back-end systems:

• power and exhaust capacity
• grease traps and drainage
• waste management
• clean back-of-house zones
• fire-safety compliant kitchen spaces

QSR-grade formats cannot scale without QSR-grade infrastructure.

3. The policy architecture needed modernisation

Railways functioned under zone-wise catering rules, unlike airports (concession model) or malls (retail leasing). A unified, retail-first policy came only with the November 2025 Railway Board circular.

4. Redevelopment had to come before retail

The last six years saw the rise of modernised stations like:
Rani Kamlapati (Bhopal), Gandhinagar Capital, Ahmedabad, New Bhubaneswar, and SMVT Bengaluru.
These upgrades demonstrated what world-class concourses and commercial zones could look like — creating the foundation for branded QSRs.

India’s Largest Untapped F&B Real Estate — Now Unlocked

The Indian Railways network is the single largest retail real estate portfolio in the country. The comparison below shows why the opportunity is unprecedented.

Railway stations → Largest network + highest daily footfall + widest geographic reach.
No other real-estate asset in India offers this level of throughput, consistency and natural demand.

Globally, travel hubs generate the highest F&B revenue per sq. ft. Indian Railways is finally aligning with this model.

The QSR Advantage: High Volume, Low CAC, All-Day Demand

Railway stations create a uniquely favourable business environment for QSRs:

• Near-zero CAC — passengers arrive organically
• Crores of daily footfalls
• High impulse-driven consumption
• Long dwell times during delays
• Family/group travel behaviour amplifies ticket size
• 24×7 operational potential

Even a 0.5% conversion at a major station can outperform many high-street locations.

Who Is Driving This Transformation?

The shift is being enabled jointly by:

• Railway Board — policy & category approval
• Commercial Department, Zonal Railways — site allotment, licensing
• IRCTC — e-auctions, food plazas, operational audits

This is the first time all three arms are aligned under a retail-centred approach, not a catering contract structure.

How Brands Can Enter Railway Stations — The New Process

QSR Application Pathway

1. Track IRCTC/Zonal e-auctions for “Premium Brand Outlets”.
2. Register as a vendor — PAN, GST, FSSAI, DSC, financials.
3. Submit technical + commercial bid on e-procurement portals.
4. Secure a 5-year licence with renewal based on performance.
5. Execute fit-out per railway guidelines.
6. Operate under continuous hygiene & service audits.

This marks the beginning of a formal, scalable, modern retail ecosystem inside stations.

High-Potential Stations for QSR Expansion

A mix of footfall, redevelopment status, traveller profile, and city-level consumption makes the following stations particularly strong candidates for branded F&B:

Data Source: Official station passenger figures and classification list (annual passengers) — Indian Railways station classification / revenue dataset (2024 list).

How Big Can This Market Become?

If even:

• the top 200 stations adopt premium-format F&B
• with 3–5 outlets per station

India instantly creates a pipeline of 600–1,000 new QSR outlets — equivalent to the full footprint of several established chains.

With hundreds of stations under redevelopment, the long-term potential is significantly larger.

Why This Marks a New Era for India’s F&B Industry

This development represents far more than the arrival of global QSR logos on railway concourses. It signals:

• the formalisation of India’s largest unorganised food market
• a decisive uplift in hygiene, safety and service standards
• the shift from legacy catering to airport-style concession economics
• the emergence of transit retail as a high-volume, mainstream F&B channel
• a fully open runway for national, regional and global brands to scale

Railway concourses are no longer functioning merely as transit corridors — they are evolving into India’s next major consumption arenas.

Indian Railways hasn’t just approved branded food outlets; it has unlocked the country’s largest, densest and most commercially powerful F&B real-estate ecosystem.

This marks the start of India’s third — and undoubtedly the largest — travel-retail wave.

The journey from “chai–poori on the platform” to modern, global-standard QSRs in the concourse has truly begun.

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In 2024, Bigbasket Now’s delivery capabilities proved unmatched as it fulfilled millions of customer demands. The platform delivered an impressive 1.5 crore tender coconuts and 40 million apples, underscoring its leadership in essential groceries. Yet, it was Bigbasket Now’s expansion into non-grocery categories that truly set it apart. With over 375,000 notebooks, 350,000 containers, and 454,417 brooms delivered, the platform firmly established itself as a one-stop shop for everything from household necessities to personal care, which helped it build deep trust among consumers.

One of the most significant milestones was Bigbasket Now’s ability to deliver high-demand, high-value items at lightning speed. The platform became one of the first in the country to deliver an iPhone in under 10 minutes, showcasing its logistical prowess and commitment to meeting the diverse needs of Indian consumers—at any time, for any product.

Leveraging its robust infrastructure, Bigbasket Now has also made substantial strides in customer-centric innovation. With new categories like toys, electronics, and décor now available, the platform ensures that a wide variety of products are just a few taps away, reinforcing its status as a premier destination for fast and reliable deliveries.

Supporting its sustainability goals, Bigbasket Now continues to work with over 30,000 farmers, ensuring the freshest produce while strengthening local agricultural communities. Its commitment to health-conscious, environmentally friendly shopping is evident, as 25% of its customers now choose organic products. This shift has led to a 20% monthly growth in the organic category, indicating a clear trend toward conscious consumption among Indian shoppers.

As it heads into 2025, the platform remains laser-focused on scaling its offerings, increasing delivery speeds, and further elevating the customer experience, positioning itself to lead the charge into the next era of convenience and trust. With a presence in over 150 cities currently, Bigbasket Now is on track to redefine the quick commerce space by setting new standards in customer satisfaction and delivery speed.

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The Bangalore flagship store sets a new benchmark in luxury retail, offering an immersive and unparalleled shopping experience that combines global sophistication with local artistry. Unique to this store are several first-in-class features designed to captivate every shopper’s interest, including a Live Kombucha Bar with refreshing kombucha on tap, a Vegan Patisserie offering decadent plant-based desserts, a Live Cookie Corner with warm cookies baked fresh, Live Kunafa & Baklava showcasing authentic Middle Eastern treats, a Millet Café serving wholesome millet creations, and an Organic Snacking Counter with tasty, premium snacks. The indulgence continues with a luxurious Soft-serve corner and the Gelato Atelier, offering international flavors that redefine dessert cravings.

Enhancing its gourmet offerings, the store boasts the widest range of cheese in the country, featuring rare and exotic cheeses from over 50 countries, delivered in an unimaginable time gap for a truly global and flavorful experience. An exotic fruits and vegetables section brings global freshness to Bangalore, including items making their debut in India. The truffle bar celebration showcases luxurious culinary creations for true connoisseurs. Adding to the elegance, the store also features fresh flowers, potted herbs

To elevate the experience, the store offers an exclusive selection of premium cigars and a meticulously curated range of bar accessories, designed to satisfy the refined tastes of our distinguished guests. Additionally, an expansive collection of premium wines and liquors is available, carefully crafted for the discerning aficionado.

Shashwat Goenka, Chairman of Spencer’s Retail and Nature’s Basket, commented, “The opening of our first flagship Artisan Pantry store in Bangalore represents a significant strategic milestone for Nature’s Basket. This flagship store responds directly to Bangalore’s growing appetite for premium, curated culinary experiences. By blending the best of global gourmet offerings with local preferences, we are confident that this flagship will not only elevate Bangalore’s retail landscape but also set new benchmarks in the premium grocery sector. Our commitment to expanding Nature’s Basket’s footprint with such innovative concepts is part of our larger vision to redefine luxury retail in India.”

Returning for another launch, Karisma Kapoor expresses her excitement “I love how it brings together the finest ingredients from around the world. It’s an honor to inaugurate this beautiful flagship store in Bangalore and share this incredible experience with the city’s passionate food lovers.”

The store’s focus sections include the Spice Souk, Salt Bar, and Honey Bar, alongside experiential zones such as The Good Food Café, Chef’s Table, and Nibb’s Chocolate Factory, which features custom chocolate creations. From gourmet connoisseurs to health-conscious shoppers, the flagship store offers something extraordinary for everyone, creating an environment where food lovers can truly “taste the world.”

Nature’s Basket’s expansion into Bangalore with its first flagship store reflects its commitment to creating exceptional culinary experiences, pushing boundaries, and offering its patrons the very best in gourmet retail.

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The two-day congregation will set the stage for some intriguing discussions and conversations led by industry experts and new-age entrepreneurs to uncover the collaborative disruptions made by the industry over the years. One of the largest B2B events will be hosting the end-to-end of food business enablement – from product sourcing, and retail tech innovation trends to grocery retailing & food service best practices.

The event will be led by Damodar Mall (CEO – Grocery, Reliance Retail), as Chairman, India Food Forum – Food Retail, and Chef Manjit Singh Gill, President, Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), as its Chairman, HoReCa Convention.

The mega business event will connect participants through deliberations on some gripping topics such as transforming supply chains with technology, collaborative strategies for the phygital growth era, mastering the cycle of food entrepreneurship and much more. With an impressive lineup of presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions, the conference will host 500+ brands, 100+ exhibitors, 300+ industry experts and 3000+ attendees for an endearing experience.

Commenting on the 17th edition of the India Food Forum, Nikhil Behl, CEO – Food Business, IMAGES Group shared, “The world over, we are seeing the powerful outcomes that result when food brands, retailers and HoReCa businesses collaborate to not just push consumption, but also to spotlight product innovation, better diets and consumer health. Throughout its history, India Food Forum has been the hub where many game-changing partnerships have been launched, and this focus on collaboration is our central mission this year. ”

Among the 300+ speakers at India Food Forum 2024 are: Aastha Almast (CEO & Co-founder, The New Shop), Abhishek Bindal (COO, Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality), Ajay Thandi (Co-founder, Sleepy Owl Coffee), Amir Majali (Founder & CEO, TruFalafel, Karak Enterprises), Amrut Mehta (Director, The Little Italy Group), Amrish Arora (MD, Fountain Hospitality), Ankit Patel (CEO, The Belgian Waffle), Anju Srivastava (Founder & CEO, Wingreen Farms), Anuj Singh (MD & CEO, Spencer’s Retail), Anurag Katriar (Founder & CMD, Indigo Hospitality), Dr. AK Tyagi (ED, Haldiram’s), Harpreet Tibb (Promoter, Tibbs Frankie), Lalit Jhawar (Co-founder & COO, Food Square), Sairam Krishna (COO, Instamart Swiggy), Saurabh Kalra (MD, McDonald’s India – West & South), and Murali Krishnan (Co-founder & CMO, Wow! Momo Foods), among others.

Other highlights include Future Forward Brands felicitation ceremony, the Star Progressive Grocers honours, the annual Coca-Cola Golden Spoon Awards and Pepsi IMAGES Food Service Awards celebrations.

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Renowned for its exceptional quality and Swiss craftsmanship, Läderach promises to bring the world-renowned Swiss luxury chocolate experience to Mumbai, with its delicious range of handcrafted chocolate bars, pralines, truffles, and exclusive gifting assortments during the festivities. The store features an extensive range of Läderach’s luxury chocolate creations, including the renowned FrischSchoggi (fresh chocolate). Each product is meticulously handcrafted to deliver an unrivaled blend of flavors, textures, and aromas that will elevate the chocolate indulgence to new heights. 

Sanskriti Gupta, Läderach India, said, “We are excited to introduce the luxurious experience of Läderach chocolates at Jio World Plaza, our first store in Mumbai. As a strategic market for Läderach, Mumbai has demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm for our brand, evident in the resounding success of our e-commerce offerings. In strategic partnership with the DS Group, we aim to expand our reach and offer the distinctive Läderach experience to a wider Indian audience.”

Läderach had introduced its online operations in Mumbai Navi Mumbai towards the end of last year with an aim to strengthen Läderach India’s position in the luxury retail sector getting the brand closer to its consumers. Last year, the DS Group announced its exclusive partnership with Läderach, marking the Swiss chocolate brand’s debut in the Indian market. This exciting collaboration was followed by the successful inauguration of a Läderach store in the Delhi NCR region, situated in DLF Emporio Mall, where an immersive in-store experience is crafted to cater to the discerning tastes of customers.

About DS Group

The DS Group (Dharampal Satyapal Group) is a Multi-Business Corporation and one of the leading FMCG conglomerates with a strong Indian and International presence. Founded in the year 1929, it is an inspiring and successful business story that blends a remarkable history and legacy with visionary growth. It has an extensive and diverse portfolio with presence in Mouth Freshener, Food and Beverage, Confectionery, Hospitality, Agri, Luxury Retail businesses, and other investments. Rajnigandha, Catch, Pulse, FRU, Ksheer, Pass Pass, BABA, Tulsi, L’Opera, Le Marche, UnCafe, Birthright, Laderach, LuvIt, Chingles, The Namah in Jim Corbett and Nainital, part of Radisson Individuals, are some of the leading brands, the Group proudly shelters today.

As a corporate, DS Group is guided by a clear set of values that are built on a strong foundation of collective good to give back to society and protect the planet. The DS Headquarters has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, under the USGBC (US Green Building Council) existing building O&M (Operation and Maintenance) program version 4.0. The DS Headquarters has also received LEED Zero Carbon Certification, by the USGBC.

About Jio World Plaza

Strategically located in the heart of BKC, Mumbai, Jio World Plaza sits on the cusp of the Island City (south Mumbai), western and eastern suburbs. As a one-of-a-kind luxury retail destination, Jio World Plaza is a part of the Jio World Centre, the multifaceted landmark which is spread across 18.5 acres in Bandra Kurla Complex.

The retail centre houses flagship stores of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Cartier, Bally, and Giorgio Armani. Other global brands such as Valentino, Bulgari, Tory Burch, Saint Laurent, Versace, Tiffany & Co, and Pottery Barn are also a part of this retail landscape for the first time. Interestingly, iconic brands such Balenciaga, Rimowa, and Pottery Barn Kids have made their foray into the country by opening their boutiques at the Jio World Plaza. Acclaimed Indian couturiers Manish Malhotra, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, and Rahul Mishra are leading the way by opening their doors to city’s crafts-conscious Indianwear aficionados. In addition to all of this, movie lovers can unwind with the stars at the new state-of-the-art Maison INOX.

And that’s not all! Jio World Plaza also boasts multiple dining experiences. There’s the super cool EL&N, très chic Armani Caffè and the minimalist haven Cafè&Meal MUJI -all of which have made their debut in the country at Jio World Plaza. French bakery and tea room, Ladurèe’s first branch here in Mumbai occupies a sweet spot. It is this convergence of art, entertainment and design that makes Jio World Plaza truly one-of-a-kind destination, thereby cementing the Jio World Centre’s position as the ultimate experiential extravaganza.

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