The Indian population has always been very health conscious and values fresh food. Organic food is in demand and especially the younger population segment in India is keen to try out new things. As a result, modern grocery stores are becoming increasingly popular and the demand for imported produce is growing. Especially foreign dairy products like cheese or yoghurt, wine or whiskey are increasingly in demand.
Online trade in vogue
In addition to the traditional grocery stores, online trade is becoming increasingly important in India. This is due to improved Internet access, increasing awareness among consumers of the benefits of online trade as well as changed shopping habits due to the pandemic. The online market is expected to grow from USD 3 billion in 2020 to USD 18 billion in 2024.
Regulatory hurdles
As promising as the Indian food market may be, it is also heavily regulated by the Indian government. In 2020 alone, the government proposed or implemented a host of regulations and standards for the import of food and agricultural products. For instance, the trans fat content in food will have to be greatly reduced in future. The government has also presented a draft amendment to the import regulations, according to which overseas food production facilities that export certain foods to India will have to be inspected and registered.
Detailed information directly from India
Together with T&A Consulting, our local experts at the Swiss Business Hub India have compiled numerous reports on a wide range of sub-sectors. Whether cheese, chocolate, confectionery, wine, beer, soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, pasta, soups, snacks, breakfast cereals, cooking oil or dietary supplements: read the detailed reports about the business opportunities for Swiss SMEs in India and what needs to be considered in the respective sub-sector. In our webinar, experts provide also a detailed presentation on the change in Indian eating habits and food trends and demonstrate the associated opportunities for Swiss exporters.
Do you have questions on international business in India? Contact our country consultant Beat Ineichen or Bastien Bovy.
