- Organised Food Services to Outrun Unorganised Players 2:1 by 2030
- Gujarat’s Young Diners, Digital Adoption Fuel New Culinary Frontiers
- India Experiments More—From Boba Tea & Matcha to Goan, Pahari & Bihari Plates
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, NOV 28
India’s eating habits are undergoing a dramatic transformation, and Gujarat is at the heart of this shift. Swiggy, in partnership with Kearney, has unveiled the 2025 edition of its flagship “How India Eats” report, projecting that the country’s food services market will cross US$125 billion by 2030, powered by a booming organised segment set to grow twice as fast as the unorganised sector.
Organised food services to drive 60% of total growth
The report predicts the formal segment will spearhead expansion, supported by rising incomes, digital penetration, and a heightened demand for convenience. Food services currently contribute 1.9% to India’s GDP, far below China (5%) and Brazil (6%), signalling immense headroom for growth.
India’s palate is evolving fast — and boldly
- 20% rise in unique cuisines ordered per customer.
• 30% increase in restaurants ordered from per customer.
• Healthy meals growing 2.3x, driven by proteins, calorie control and low-sugar preferences.
• Late-night meals growing 3x faster than dinner orders — pizzas, cakes and soft drinks lead post-11 pm consumption.
Regional India is back on the menu
India is rediscovering its forgotten culinary treasures. Hyper-regional cuisines such as Goan, Bihari and Pahari are surging at 2–8x the growth of mainstream cuisines.
Local beverages like buttermilk and sharbat are growing 4–6x, nudging global QSRs to roll out Indianised innovations — think Kala Khatta cold brew or Chilli Guava coolers.
Tea is having a renaissance too — growing 3x, with even the humble roadside chai stop going digital.
The global plate comes home
India’s food curiosity is going global:
- Korean cuisine: 17x growth
• Vietnamese: 6x
• Mexican: 3.7x
• Boba Tea: 11x surge in searches
• Matcha Tea: 4x rise
• Peruvian and Ethiopian food make their India debut
For urban, social-media-savvy diners, sushi, tacos and Korean BBQ are fast becoming weeknight staples.
Voices from Swiggy and Kearney
Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Swiggy Food Marketplace, said: “Expectations on speed are being reshaped by quick commerce. Our 10-minute delivery service Bolt already contributes more than 10% of platform orders. Consumers want affordability in familiar cuisines while simultaneously adopting Matcha and Boba Tea like never before.”
Rajat Tuli, Partner, Kearney, added: “Dining-out growth beyond the top 8 cities is now 2x that of metros, with corporate, educational and tourist hubs driving demand. Gen Z is expanding dining-out at 3x the pace of other cohorts and demanding new-age formats—from coffee raves to Instagram-worthy menus.”
Food services companies must deliver on speed, affordability and experience
- Restaurants now direct 75%+ of marketing spends to digital channels
• Pre-booking for dining-out is growing 7x compared to walk-ins
• North Indian and Italian cuisines show 10–40% higher growth in value-for-money formats
• Food delivery is entering an “unboxing” era — with butterfly burger boxes, earthen handi biryanis, and creative packaging doubling as serveware
