The India ready-to-cook food market size reached USD 6.7 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 11.9 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% during 2025-2033. The market is driven by rising urbanization, busy lifestyles, growing demand for convenience food products, increasing nuclear families, and working professionals. Furthermore, rising preference of nutritious RTC options among health-conscious consumers, e-commerce expansion, improved cold chain logistics, and brand innovations accelerate India ready-to-cook food market growth.
Report Attribute
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Key Statistics
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Base Year
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2024
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Forecast Years
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2025-2033
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Historical Years
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2019-2024
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Market Size in 2024 | USD 6.7 Billion |
Market Forecast in 2033 | USD 11.9 Billion |
Market Growth Rate (2025-2033) | 6.1% |
Changing Lifestyles and Busy Schedules
With increasing urbanization, nuclear families, and dual-income households, consumers have less time for traditional cooking. The demand for quick, hassle-free meal solutions has surged, making ready-to-cook (RTC) foods a preferred choice for working professionals, students, and homemakers. People nowadays seek easy-to-prepare yet nutritious meals that require minimal effort but retain authentic flavors. The fast-paced lifestyle in metro cities, along with long working hours, has fueled the adoption of RTC foods, including instant meals, pre-marinated meats, and semi-cooked products that significantly reduce cooking time while maintaining taste and quality. For instance, in March 2025, Ready-to-cook food company iD Fresh Food introduced instant "homestyle sambar," signifying its entry into the ₹5,000-crore ready-to-heat sector. The introduction is also part of the firm's goal to broaden its breakfast lineup to provide "a full variety of food items". The item will be accessible on all online shopping sites in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi. This caters to the fast-paced urban lifestyle where people prefer convenient yet flavorful food options which creates a positive India ready-to-cook food market outlook.
Rising Disposable Incomes and Changing Eating Habits
As disposable incomes rise, consumers are willing to spend more on convenience-driven, high-quality food products. This shift has led to an increase in premium RTC food options, including gourmet dishes, exotic cuisines, and healthier alternatives. With a growing middle class, people are moving away from basic home-cooked meals to more diverse and experimental food choices. Brands have responded by introducing regionally inspired RTC meals, organic ingredients, and preservative-free options to cater to evolving preferences. Additionally, exposure to global cuisines and international food trends has contributed to the expanding RTC food segment. For instance, in March 2023, Adani Wilmar launched its Kohinoor Biryani Kit, aiming to simplify biryani preparation for food enthusiasts. Available in Hyderabadi and Lucknowi variants, the kit includes 200g of basmati rice, 125g of biryani masala paste, whole spices, and raita seasoning. Customers can enhance the dish with vegetables or meat. The increasing preference for specialty, ready-to-cook meals shows that consumers are experimenting with diverse cuisines beyond everyday home-cooked meals, fueling the India ready-to-cook food market share.
IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the regional level for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on product category and sales channel.
Product Category Insights:
The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the product category. This includes instant noodles and pasta, instant soup, ready-to-mix, snacks, and others.
Sales Channel Insights:
A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the sales channel have also been provided in the report. This includes supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, online, and others.
Regional Insights:
The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include North India, South India, East India, and West India.
The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.
Report Features | Details |
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Base Year of the Analysis | 2024 |
Historical Period | 2019-2024 |
Forecast Period | 2025-2033 |
Units | Billion USD |
Scope of the Report |
Exploration of Historical Trends and Market Outlook, Industry Catalysts and Challenges, Segment-Wise Historical and Future Market Assessment:
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Product Categories Covered | Instant Noodles and Pasta, Instant Soup, Ready-to-Mix, Snacks, Others |
Sales Channels Covered | Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online, Others |
Regions Covered | North India, South India, East India, West India |
Customization Scope | 10% Free Customization |
Post-Sale Analyst Support | 10-12 Weeks |
Delivery Format | PDF and Excel through Email (We can also provide the editable version of the report in PPT/Word format on special request) |
Key Questions Answered in This Report:
Key Benefits for Stakeholders: