India Ready-To-Cook Market Outlook, 2026

Abstract
Food products that need some preparation, such as heating or boiling before consumption, fall under the Ready-To-Cook category, while the Ready To Eat category comprises packaged food items that are ready for consumption. Industry experts say the renewed interest in these categories has also been fuelled by the decline in out-of-home consumption of food. The growth in the market is driven by increasing urbanization and the shift of people from Tier 2 towns to Tier 1 and Metro cities. Besides this, changing consumer demographics such as the rise of nuclear families and double-income households coupled with a busy lifestyle is driving demand for convenience food products. According to the report titled- 'India Ready To Cook Market Outlook, 2025-26' published by Bonafide Research the market reached a market of over INR 8000 Cr., in the year 2020.
By category, the market is segmented into four major categories named: Ready-to-mix, Instant Noodles, Instant Pasta & Instant Soup. The boom in India's Ready-To-cook market has given chances to many big entry-level players to increase their market share by delivering more variants at a reasonable price. Out of the segments, the instant noodles segment leads the market which has contributed to a share of more than half since the year 2015 and is to incline through the forecasted period. Maintaining taste remains the biggest challenge in the categories, as most of these products have preservatives, and go through processing.
Currently, the majority of the market is concentrated in Metro and Tier 1 cities owing to the high purchasing capacity of the consumer in these cities. However, the increase in the awareness and the viability of these products in a smaller quantity is to allow the rural region to experience a growth of over 19% during the forecasted period. Also, the brands' products are present mostly in modern trade stores and Grade A/A+ general trade stores owing to refrigeration requirements for frozen RTC which limits their adoption beyond these stores. However, online platforms have provided an alternative channel of growth for brands in the category and have led to an increase in their presence across various regions in the country.
The major challenge limiting the growth is the lack of proper infrastructure to supply and store such products on the retail shelf. However, improving cold chain infrastructure and investment by players to develop infrastructure in traditional retail stores will provide impetus to the overall growth of the category. Also, continuous innovation by players in developing new products and the launch of regional variants will further increase the adoption of categories among consumers.
Companies included are Nestle India Limited, Hindustan Unilever Limited, ITC Limited, Capital Foods Limited, CG Foods (India) Pvt. Ltd., Bambino Argo Industries Ltd., Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd., Kohinoor Foods Limited, iD Fresh Food (India) Pvt. Ltd., Maiyas Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd., Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Desai Foods Private Limited, Alimento Agro Foods Private Limited, Bikaner Foods Pvt. Ltd. These companies match the individual taste preferences of consumers, which varies throughout the country; and, at the same time, keep economics in mind and do it profitably.

Content
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Executive Summary
2. India Ready-To-Cook Market Outlook
2.1 Market Size By Value
2.2 Market Share
2.2.1 By Company
2.2.2 By Category
2.2.3 By Demographic Area
2.2.4 By Region
2.2.5 By Sales Channel
2.3 India Instant Noodles Market Outlook
2.3.1 Market Size By Value
2.3.1.1 Overall Market
2.3.1.2 Packet/Pouch Noodles Market
2.3.1.3 Cup/Bowl Noodles Market
2.3.2 Market Share
2.3.2.1 By Company
2.3.2.2 By Packaging
2.3.2.3 By Sales Channel
2.3.2.4 By Region
2.3.3 Pricing Analysis
2.4 India Instant Pasta Market Outlook
2.4.1 Market Size By Value
2.4.2 Market Share
2.4.2.1 By Company
2.4.2.2 By Sales Channel
2.4.2.3 By Region
2.4.3 Pricing Analysis
2.5 India Instant Soup Market Outlook
2.5.1 Market Size By Value
2.5.2 Market Share
2.5.2.1 By Company
2.5.2.2 By Sales Channel
2.5.2.3 By Region
2.5.2.4 By Soup Type
2.5.3 Pricing Analysis
2.6 India Ready-To-Mix Market Outlook
2.6.1 Market Size By Value
2.6.1.1 Overall Market
2.6.1.2 Snacks Mix Market
2.6.1.3 Curry Mix Market
2.6.1.4 Dessert Mix Market
2.6.2 Market Share
2.6.2.1 By Company
2.6.2.2 By Region
2.6.2.3 By Segment
2.6.2.4 By Sales Channel
2.6.3 Product, Price and Variant Analysis
2.6.3.1 Snacks Mix
2.6.3.2 Curry Mix
2.6.3.3 Dessert Mix
2.6.3.4 Others (Rice & Meals)
3 India Economic Snapshot
4 Policy & Regulatory Landscape
5 Trade Dynamics
5.1 Import
5.2 Export
6 Channel Partner Analysis
7 India Ready-To-Cook Market Dynamics
7.1 Key Drivers
7.2 Key Challenges
8 Market Trends & Developments
8.1 Small Firms launching City-Community Specific RTM Products
8.2 Clever and Unique Marketing Strategies
8.3 Retailers Going for Private Label RTM Products
8.4 Stress on Health & Wellness
8.5 Changing Lifestyle of Young India
8.6 Introduction of New Flavours in Instant Noodles, Soup & Pasta
8.7 Escalating Competition in the Instant Noodles Category
9 Competitive Landscape
9.1 Porters Five Forces
9.2 Company Profiles
9.2.1 Nestle India Ltd
9.2.2 Hindustan Unilever Ltd
9.2.3 ITC Ltd
9.2.4 MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.5 Capital Foods Limited
9.2.6 CG Foods (India) Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.7 Bambino Argo Industries Ltd.
9.2.8 Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.9 Kohinoor Foods Limited
9.2.10 iD Fresh Food (India) Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.11 Maiyas Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.12 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
9.2.13 Desai Foods Pvt Ltd.
9.2.14 Alimento Agro Foods Pvt Ltd
9.2.15 Bikaner Foods Pvt. Ltd.
10 Strategic Recommendations
10.1 Instant Noodles, Pasta & Soup
10.2 Ready-To-Mix
11 Disclaimer

 
LIST OF TABLE
Table 1: Price & Variant Analysis of Instant Noodles in India 2021
Table 2: Price & Variant Analysis of Instant Pasta in India 2021
Table 3: Price & Variant Analysis of Instant Soup in India 2021
Table 4: Product, Price & Variant Analysis of Snacks Mix 2021
Table 5: Product, Price & Variant Analysis of Snacks Mix 2021
Table 6: Product, Price & Variant Analysis of Sweet Mix 2021
Table 7: Product, Price & Variant Analysis of Others Mix 2021
Table 8: India Economic Profile – 2015 to 2018
Table 9: Import of Dried Pasta in India - By Country By Volume 2019-20
Table 10: Import of Dried Pasta in India - By Country By Value(in million) 2019-20
Table 11: Import of Dried Soup in India - By Country By Volume 2019-2020
Table 12: Import of Dried Soup in India - By Country By Value 2019-2020
Table 13: Export of Dried Pasta from India – By Country By Volume 2019-20
Table 14: Export of Dried Pasta from India – By Country By Value 2019-20
Table 15: Export of Dried Soup from India - By Country By Volume 2019-20
Table 16: Export of Dried Soup from India - By Country By Value 2019-20
Table 17: Key Facts of Nestle India Limited
Table 18: Key Facts of Hindustan Unilever Limited
Table 19: Product Portfolio of ITC Limited in Ready to mix
Table 20: Key Facts of ITC Limited
Table 21: Product Portfolio of MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 22: Key Facts of MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Table 23: Key Facts of Capital Foods Limited
Table 24: Key Facts of CG Foods (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Table 25: Product Portfolio of Bambino Agro Industries Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 26: Key Facts of Bambino Agro Industries Ltd.
Table 27: Product Portfolio of Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 28: Key Facts of Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd.
Table 29: Product Portfolio of Kohinoor Foods Limited in Ready to mix
Table 30: Key Facts of Kohinoor Foods Limited
Table 31: Product Portfolio of iD Fresh Food (India) Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 32: Key Facts of iD Fresh Food (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Table 33: Product Portfolio of Maiyas Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 34: Key Facts of Maiyas Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Table 35: Product Portfolio of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 36: Key Facts of Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
Table 37: Product Portfolio of Desai Foods Pvt Ltd in Ready to mix
Table 38: Key Facts of Desai Foods Private Limited
Table 39: Product Portfolio of Alimento Agro Foods Pvt Ltd in Ready to mix
Table 40: Key facts of Alimento Agro Foods Pvt Ltd.
Table 41: Product Portfolio of Bikaner Foods Pvt. Ltd. in Ready to mix
Table 42: Key Facts of Bikaner Foods Pvt Ltd