The 20th edition of Fi India and the 8th edition of ProPak India commenced at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, brought together the ingredients, processing and packaging value chain from 26th to 28th August 2026. This milestone edition arrives at a pivotal moment for India's food manufacturing sector, which is experiencing sustained expansion across the entire value chain.
India's food additives and ingredients industry is forecast to grow to $15 billion by 2031, while the packaging industry is on course to reach $92 billion by FY2030, registering a CAGR of 9 per cent. These trends are complemented by a packaged food and beverages market projected to cross $150 billion by 2030, reflecting the increasing depth, diversification and investment potential within India's food value chain.
The three-day exhibition commenced with a grand inaugural ceremony attended by key dignitaries and senior industry leaders, including Dr Prabodh Halde, Head-Technical Regulatory Affairs, Marico Ltd & West Zone Chairman of All India Food Processors' Association (AIFPA); Kaushik Desai, Secretary General - Health Foods and Dietary Supplements Association (HADSA); FT Ritesh Mathur, President, AFSTI Mumbai chapter; Praveer Srivastava, Executive Director, Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA); Nilesh Lele, President, Chamber for Advancement of small and Medium Business (CASMB); AVPS Chakravarty, Global Ambassador World Packaging Organisation (WPO); Rajesh Kumar Gera, Director, SIES School of Packaging; Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India; Rahul Deshpande, Sr. Group Director, Informa Markets in India and Jayesh Kanaskar, Commercial Director, Pharma & Food Shows, Informa Markets in India.
With 500+ exhibitors and 1,500+ brands across the two shows, Fi India and ProPak India brought together a comprehensive cross-section of the food manufacturing value chain. Fi India features 350+ exhibitors and 1,200+ brands, while ProPak India hosts 150+ exhibitors and 300+ brands across processing, packaging and manufacturing technologies. More than 15,000 industry professionals, with participation spanning over 50 countries, are expected at the 2026 edition, strengthening opportunities for sourcing, partnerships and business exchange.
Dr Prabodh Halde, Head-Technical Regulatory Affairs, Marico Ltd & West Zone Chairman of All India Food Processors' Association (AIFPA), said “India’s food ingredients and additives market has grown into a significant domestic opportunity, currently valued at around Rs85,000 crore, with natural ingredients—including nutraceuticals—accounting for an estimated 30–35 per cent and growing at a double-digit pace. The next phase of growth, however, must focus on greater value addition, stronger exports and closer integration across farmers, processors, research institutions and industry. Food processing is critical to improving farm incomes; for instance, turmeric that may command around Rs250 per kg as a raw commodity can generate value of up to Rs800 per kg when processed into high-value curcumin for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. The sector also has significant employment potential, with approximately 10 jobs generated for every Rs1 crore of investment in food processing and ingredients. With India’s abundant agricultural resources and growing domestic demand for healthier and natural products, strengthening processing and innovation capabilities can create greater value for farmers, expand exports and make food ingredients and processing an important engine of India’s economic growth.”
