Rice remains central to staple foods’ performance
In 2025, staple foods in India maintained double-digit growth in retail current value terms, largely due to the continued strong demand for rice, based on habitual consumption. There was also growing interest in breakfast cereals and baked goods, driven by busy lifestyles and the need for convenience. However, staple foods encountered cost pressures early in the year. The fluctuations in key raw materials of wheat, palm oil, milk and cocoa increasingly compelled companies to pursue shrinkflation and undertake price hikes to preserve both consumer affordability and profit margin health.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Staple Foods industry in India with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Staple Foods industry in India, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Staple Foods in India report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Staple Foods in India?
- Which are the leading brands in Staple Foods in India?
- How are products distributed in Staple Foods in India?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Staple Foods?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in India?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Staple Foods in India
Rice remains central to staple foods’ performance
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Convenience is a consumption driver
Consumers look for nutritional value
Pursuit of wellness covers a myriad of aspects in staple foods
Further fast retail value growth projected for staple foods
Modern channels to increase the pressure on small local grocers
Government regulations to improve transparency and affordability
The competitive landscape remains highly fragmented
Health consciousness increases the focus on brands offering quality, transparency and minimal processing
Small local grocers enjoy unmatched last-mile connectivity
Large modern grocery retailers and e-commerce increase their weight in staple foods distribution
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Baked Goods in India
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Steady growth in demand for baked goods driven by convenience and versatility
Emphasis on nutritional benefits
Players focus on pack sizes and flavours to provide a competitive edge for packaged cakes and pastries
Evolving lifestyle patterns to increase the consumption of bread
Government initiatives and low penetration offer substantial growth potential for packaged cakes and pastries
Expansion in distribution reach and prospective labelling regulatory revisions to drive consumer access and scrutiny
Britannia Industries leads with a well-rounded product portfolio and widespread distribution reach
Health and wellness trend and quick-commerce disrupt the competitive landscape
E-commerce leverages wider assortments and convenience to post the fastest retail value sales and share growth
Preference for affordable, artisanal baked goods through traditional grocery retailers
Breakfast Cereals in India
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Evolving lifestyles and consumption needs drive growth in breakfast cereals
Breakfast cereals cater to the need for a functional, efficiency-driven meal
Multi-occasion consumption amid holistic health consciousness
Preference for breakfast cereals to be influenced by health-conscious consumers
Scaling to smaller cities through affordable packs is a key penetration focus
Tax reduction to aid affordability while labelling regulatory revisions increase consumer scrutiny
Kellogg India leads with a strong and widely distributed product portfolio
New entrants and digital-first brands threaten to disrupt the competitive landscape
Modern retail formats cater to urban consumers to gain ground on small local grocers
Quick-commerce offers convenience, broad assortments and drives premiumisation
Processed Fruit and Vegetables in India
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Convenience is a key advantage amidst a consumer preference for fresh food
High convenience for hectic lifestyles underpins the consumer interest in processed fruit and vegetables
Developments add dynamism to the retail and foodservice offer
Shelf stable fruit and vegetables to remain hampered by limited availability and low awareness
Players to leverage more affordable packs to encourage consumer trials
Economic improvements and government initiatives to stimulate demand while growing health consciousness may hamper the frequency of consumption
McCain Foods India enjoys a clear lead with a strong product portfolio and widespread distribution
Del Monte and Safal foster interest in shelf stable fruit and frozen processed vegetables, respectively
Large modern grocery retailers gain on small local grocers
E-commerce fits well with the convenience appeal of processed fruit and vegetables
Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives To Meat in India
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health and convenience trends stimulate category growth
Protein-focused value proposition drives robust demand for soya chunks
Frozen processed poultry rides strong health perception to post the fastest retail value sales growth in 2025
Strong retail volume and value growth forecast is driven by health-focused propositions
Modern retail formats and government initiatives to drive the penetration of frozen products
Processed meat and seafood consumption to remain an urban phenomenon
Legacy brands continue to lead the field
Digital-first brands gain momentum among young, tech-savvy urban consumers
Small local grocers enjoy wide reach to dominate the landscape
Quick-commerce platforms fuel robust growth for e-commerce
Rice, Pasta and Noodles in India
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rice, pasta and noodles continue to develop and grow fast in India
Rice benefits from established consumption habits and cultural preferences
Noodles and pasta benefit from convenient snacking needs
Evolving consumer lifestyles and competition to provide push-pull factors for pasta and noodles
Rice poised for robust demand, with health and wellness supporting premiumisation
Distribution and government regulation to help shape category development
The highly fragmented rice landscape allows the noodles and pasta player Nestlé to lead overall
New-age brands add dynamism to the competitive landscape of instant noodles
Small pack sizes add dynamism to the offer in small local grocers
Modern retailers increasingly influence the demand for premium variants
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Staple Foods
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- Packaged Flat Bread
- Unpackaged Flat Bread
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- Packaged Leavened Bread
- Unpackaged Leavened Bread
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- Packaged Cakes
- Unpackaged Cakes
- Dessert Mixes
- Frozen Baked Goods
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- Packaged Pastries
- Unpackaged Pastries
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- Sweet Pies and Tarts
- Frozen Cakes, Sweet Pies and Tarts
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- Hot Cereals
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- Children's Breakfast Cereals
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- Flakes
- Muesli and Granola
- Other RTE Cereals
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- Shelf Stable Beans
- Shelf Stable Fruit
- Shelf Stable Tomatoes
- Shelf Stable Vegetables
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- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Processed Potatoes
- Frozen Processed Vegetables
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- Shelf Stable Processed Red Meat
- Shelf Stable Processed Poultry
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- Chilled Processed Red Meat
- Chilled Processed Poultry
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- Frozen Processed Red Meat
- Frozen Processed Poultry
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- Shelf Stable Seafood
- Chilled Processed Seafood
- Frozen Processed Seafood
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- Chilled Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Frozen Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Shelf Stable Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Tofu and Derivatives
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- Chilled Noodles
- Frozen Noodles
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- Instant Noodle Cups
- Instant Noodle Pouches
- Plain Noodles
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- Chilled Pasta
- Dried Pasta
- Rice
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Staple Foods
NOTE: Couscous, polenta and quinoa are excluded from staple foods.
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This report originates from Passport, our Staple Foods research and analysis database.
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