Packaged food to rise by USD 50 billion by 2017: ASSOCHAM

The size of packaged food in India is set to witness a jump to USD 50 billion by 2017 from the present level of USD 32 billion growing by a CAGR of 35 percent on the back of increasing popularity and demand for ready to eat food, snacks as such food is convenient and gaining consumer confidence, states an ASSOCHAM survey.

According to the survey, the average rate of annual spending on packaged food by Indian households has increased by 32.5 percent during the years 2010 to 2015.

The survey also highlighted that 76 percent of parents, mostly both working, with children under five year in the big cities are more into ready to eat meals at least 10-12 times per month in some form or the other.

D.S. Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM said, the consumption of packaged food is much higher in the urban areas, especially metros, where life is fast-paced, attracting lot more companies to launch new types of products and variants.

About 76 percent of the nuclear family feels that they have less time to spend in the kitchen. It is in this background that home delivery business model for cooked food has grown multi-fold.

Nearly 79 percent of unmarried people prefer the convenience food. The main categories of packaged food are bakery products, canned or dried processed food, frozen processed food, ready-to-eat meals, dairy products, diet snacks, processed meat and health products and drinks, points the survey.

There has been a major shift in food habits in the metropolitan cities, about 79 percent of households prefer to have instant food due to steep rise in dual income level and standard of living and convenience.