MAM
Indian Foodservice industry to reach Rs 5,52,000 crore by 2022 with a 10% growth
MUMBAI: Industry leaders of the Indian Food Service Retail sector today highlighted the upcoming golden decade of the growth in the industry driven by the changing consumer behaviours and influx of technologies within the business.
Speaking at FICCI’s Foodzania 2018 – The Food Service Retail Conference on the theme of ‘Changing Landscape of the Food Service Retail Industry’ here today, Mr Unnat Varma, Chairman – FICCI Task Force on Food Service Retail and MD – Pizza Hut India Sub Continent said that the Indian food service industry is at the cusp of a massive growth. He further added that the changing landscape of the food service retail industry is largely driven by the changing consumer behaviour which can lead the sector for a sustained double digit growth over a decade. “There is a huge consumer market, changing consumer habits, increase in disposable income, and as the industry has evolved, it has become bigger and better,” said Mr Varma.
Mr Jagbir Singh Sidhu, Chief Operating Officer (North), Diageo India said that the food services industry contributes significantly to the economy by creating millions of jobs. “With the advent of newer technology, the industry has seen a paradigm shift with consumers opting for ‘dining out’ experiences, making it an important partner for the beverage alcohol sector,” he added.
During the event, ‘FICCI – PwC report on ‘Changing Landscape of the Food Service Retail Industry’ was also released.
Mr Rahul Singh, President – NRAI and Founder & CEO – The Beer Café highlighted the significant role of food aggregators in increasing the consumption of outside food. He said that they are the creators of behavioral change among consumers that is going to increase propensity of dining out. “Next 10 years are going to be the golden decade from the perspective of consumption,” he added.
Mr Pravesh Sharma, IAS (Retd.), Former MD, Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, ministry of Agriculture and Framers Welfare said that today the agriculture sector is more market driven, “For at least a decade-and-a-half, all the major trends in agriculture sector were signaled and driven by the market,” he said.
As per PwC, the overall food industry has grown by 10 per cent. Organized and unorganized players together are valued at INR 4.50 thousand crores, 25 – 30 percent of which is contributed by organized segment. Mr Varma added that true transformations are happening with use of technology; expectation from food eco-system is changing and food that is at heart of all services is being outsourced thus paving a way for double digit growth.
Brands
Ekart expands IKEA partnership with EV deliveries in Chennai
3PL to handle 600 plus products with 48 hour delivery via EV fleet.
MUMBAI: Flatpacks are going electric and your sofa might now arrive with a smaller carbon footprint. Ekart has expanded its partnership with IKEA to power last-mile deliveries in Chennai, doubling down on speed, scale and sustainability in one of India’s key urban markets. Under the collaboration, Ekart will manage end-to-end large-format deliveries for IKEA across the city using a 100 per cent dedicated electric vehicle fleet. The move makes Chennai the second major market after NCR-Delhi where Ekart handles IKEA’s last-mile logistics, signalling a broader rollout of EV-led supply chains.
The mandate is no small load. Ekart will oversee deliveries for over 600 products from IKEA’s catalogue, ranging from furniture to home décor—categories that demand specialised handling and precision logistics.
Backed by its technology-driven fulfilment network, Ekart is targeting deliveries within a 48-hour window, offering real-time tracking and end-to-end visibility from warehouse to doorstep. The focus is clear: faster turnarounds without compromising on control or customer experience.
The EV-first model also aligns with both companies’ sustainability goals, as urban logistics increasingly shifts towards zero-emission solutions. For IKEA, which continues to expand its omnichannel presence in India, reliable and eco-conscious last-mile delivery is becoming central to scale.
For Ekart, the partnership reinforces its positioning as an enterprise-grade logistics player in large-format commerce. The company already supports over 1,800 retail, D2C and enterprise brands, spanning last-mile delivery, part-truckload services and warehousing.
As India’s logistics ecosystem evolves, this collaboration highlights a growing trend: delivery is no longer just about distance, it’s about efficiency, experience and increasingly, emissions.
