Rising middle class aspirations and discretionary spends, along with consumers’ willingness to try new things to buy and new ways to shop, makes the opportunity substantial. And deep digital adoption by both consumers and the trade, open new and low-friction ways to scale ideas to ventures. This is a lovely time in which to be a new-age entrepreneur or intrapreneur in India! Digitally accessible consumers are far easier to reach and microtarget. Rapidly modernizing shopping channels – D2C, eB2B, modern retail and eComm platforms — offer go-to-market options that are more powerful than ever before.

Food and Grocery – the largest consumption opportunity – is growing and premiumizing at a good clip. Small retailers and MSME firms are also joining the modernity movement. Legacy distribution models are being disrupted and historic brand leaders are being challenged by new-age brand offerings. This creates a heady mix of big opportunities and newer challenges.

As we navigate this potent mix of changes, it is smart to connect with sector leaders and peer groups and learn from exchange of ideas and thoughts. Hosting its 16th edition this year, India Food Forum has been my go-to platform for picking ideas, connecting with people – allies, partners, thinkers and even competitors. Many of our ideas have actually been triggered and incubated at India Food Forum!

I invite you to join me on 30th November and 1st December at the India Food Forum 2023 in Mumbai. This congregation will be a 360-degree consumption sector opportunity you wouldn’t want to miss!