The Indian snack industry is undergoing a decisive transformation. This evolution was prominently showcased at Indusfood Manufacturing 2026, where industry leaders, technologists, and equipment manufacturers gathered to chart a roadmap for positioning Indian snacks as globally competitive, ready-to-eat (RTE) products. A key strategic session titled “Scaling Indian Snacks: Innovations and Infrastructure in the RTE Segment” was chaired by Bhushan Namdeorao Yengade, a globally respected food technologist and the Founder of Binder Technology Consultancy.
Yengade is widely recognised for his work in industrial food process design, traditional food modernisation, and international market readiness. He also serves as Vice President (Market Research) at the Council for Promotion, Research & Trade in Traditional Foods, where he has been instrumental in bridging traditional Indian food systems with modern regulatory and commercial frameworks.
Indian Snacks Enter a Phase of Scientific Reinvention
Presenting insights from Binder Technology Consultancy’s recent Asia-Pacific snack market study, Yengade described a fundamental shift in global consumer behaviour—from impulse-driven snacking to what he termed “mindful indulgence.” According to him, the post-pandemic consumer is far more discerning, seeking products that deliver taste, nutrition, transparency, and functional benefits simultaneously.
“Consumers today want bold, nostalgic flavours rooted in tradition—but without compromising on health, safety, or ingredient integrity,” Yengade said. He explained that rising demand for high-protein, clean-label, and nutritionally transparent snacks has given rise to what he described as “Tradition 2.0,” a model where heritage Indian foods are re-engineered using modern food science, controlled processing, and data-backed formulation.
Engineering Scale: Infrastructure as the Growth Enabler
The panel underscored that as Indian snack brands scale beyond regional markets, the primary challenges shift from culinary creativity to engineering precision and infrastructure readiness.
Nishant Bansal, Managing Director of Noida Fabcon, noted that bottlenecks frequently emerge in material handling, thermal process stability, and packaging automation during scale-up.
“When companies move from small-batch production to national or export-scale manufacturing, constraints arise not in recipes, but in feeding systems, conveying efficiency, and maintaining process consistency at speed,” Bansal observed.
Ingredient Science and Consistency
Highlighting the growing importance of ingredient standardisation, Avanti Murarka, Managing Director of Crown Flakes Pvt. Ltd., spoke about the expanding role of dehydrated potato ingredients in modern snack formats. She emphasised that at scale, batch-to-batch uniformity becomes non-negotiable, especially for high-speed forming and frying lines.
“Precise control over hydration behaviour, granule size distribution, and textural properties is critical to achieving predictable output and consistent sensory quality,” Murarka said.
Standardising Street Foods for Global FMCG Markets
Addressing the challenge of transforming Indian street foods into export-ready FMCG products, Jayesh Patel, Managing Director of A Innovative Food Products (SharEat), shared insights from scaling formats such as pani puri and chaat kits.
“Authenticity must be preserved, but international markets have zero tolerance for microbiological deviations, allergen cross-contamination, or inconsistent shelf life,” Patel cautioned. He stressed the importance of recipe engineering, automated masala processing, moisture control, and hygienic packaging to meet diverse global regulatory regimes.
Hygienic Design and Material Handling
Chetan Dakhore, Managing Director of Shri Vibracion Technologies, highlighted how material handling systems directly influence plant hygiene, yield, and brand perception. Issues such as breakage, seasoning loss, and dust generation can severely impact efficiency and product quality.
He advocated for vibratory conveying systems specifically engineered for fragile snacks such as puffs, flakes, and extruded products, with a focus on easy cleanability, dust containment, and strict segregation to prevent flavour and allergen cross-contamination.
Advances in Frying and Thermal Processing
Demonstrating innovations in thermal processing, Krishna Pandit, CEO and Managing Director of Fry & Bake Technologies, showcased how direct-heating frying systems and continuous oil filtration technologies are helping manufacturers meet global health, sustainability, and efficiency benchmarks.
“These systems significantly reduce oil degradation and consumption, improve product crispness, and enhance the overall nutritional profile,” Pandit explained.
A Scientific Vision for 2030
In his concluding remarks, Yengade emphasised that technology adoption must be guided by long-term strategy rather than short-term capacity expansion.
“Our objective is not merely to scale volumes,” he said. “It is to establish India as a global centre for healthy, science-led food innovation—where traditional flavours are delivered with world-class precision, safety, and consistency.”
The consensus at Indusfood Manufacturing 2026 was clear: the Indian snack sector has moved beyond incremental growth. By integrating advanced processing technologies, robust quality systems, hygienic design, and data-driven innovation—while retaining the soul of traditional flavours—India is well positioned to emerge as a global leader in the ready-to-eat snack category.
